The Realms of Middle Earth Part 1
by Carey Ann Lupin
Summary: The battle with the nefarious Narku has yet to happen. But if he has his way, it won't. A vortex has opened and sucked our heros to yet another world. However being separated is never good. Will they be able to destroy the One Ring and return home?
1. Prologue: The Mysterious Vortex

_**Author's Notes: I don't own anyone from Lord of the Rings. If I did Frodo wouldn't have gone on to the Grey Havens. Legolas would be teaching me how to use a bow and arrow. Aragorn and Arwen would have been married long before the Ring was found. I don't own any of the Inu-Yasha characters. If I did, Sesshomaru would be joining Legolas in teaching me how to use a sword. Enjoy.**_

_**Recently I got copies of the show and saw that the spelling of Sesshomaru is indeed spelled wrong. Forgive me but I was going by what I saw in the magnas. I did correct the spelling in all the chapters.**_

**

* * *

**

Prologue 

**The Vortex of Mystery**

The day dawned clear and warm. The birds in the forest greeted morning and a group among the trees. The small group of people was gathered around a campfire. They looked normal except for the fact that the tiny kitten had two tails, one of the children had a fox tail, and two of the men had long silver hair. The three women were humans as was one of the men. Tori, Lady of the Western Lands, was beginning to get the idea that this was how this group often spent their mornings. After their last adventure on another world, she wouldn't think twice about anything unusual happening again. Her mate, Lord Sesshomaru, was seated to her right. He was an _inu-akuma _or dog demon. She had fallen hard for him while they had been on Coruscant. At least her friend and former boss, Chief Raider, had agreed that she was better off with her mate. To his right sat Koga, the leader of the _ookami-akumas_ or wolf demons. To Tori's left was Sesshomaru's half-brother, Inu-Yasha. He was only a half-demon but his mate, Kagome, loved him anyhow. Her best friend, Sango, had recently married the monk of the group, Miroku. Tori prayed everyday that his wandering eyes wouldn't stray from his wife. The young fox demon, Shippo, and the human girl who stayed with Tori and Sesshomaru, Rin, were chasing a tiny cat with two tails, Kirara. Together they were waiting for the final battle against the insufferable Naraku. Tori had yet to meet this half-demon but she already hated him. She knew that they would defeat him and finish gathering the shards of the Shikon No Tama or Jewel of Four Souls. Tori quickly dipped the meal she had been cooking into a bowl and turned to look at her mate. He had pulled their adopted daughter onto his lap. Tori thought that he looked even better than usual. She couldn't wait to tell him her news.

Tori handed Sesshomaru a bowl of Ramen noodles which he sniffed slightly. "You don't have to eat it if you don't want it, darlin'."

"If he won't eat it, I will." Inu-Yasha looked up from his own bowl.

Sesshomaru glared at his brother. "You will eat what your mate feeds you." He picked up his chopsticks and started to eat while Rin took her bowl from her new mother.

Tori shook her head as she turned to look at Kagome across the fire. "Did you remember to bring the batteries for me?"

Kagome finished pulling her brush through her waist-length black hair. "Sure did." She grabbed her ever present yellow book bag and started to rummage through it. "I know Mother and I packed them. Aha. Found them." She pulled out several packages of batteries and tossed them over the fire.

"Thanks, Kagome. I can't believe I've gone through all the ones I had but that's what happens when I play the CD player all the time." Tori snatched each pack out of the air and tucked them into her pack. "What are we doing today?"

"Looking for Jewel…" Inu-Yasha looked up at the swirling mass of dust and light gathering behind Tori and Sesshomaru. "What the fuck is that?"

Tori grabbed the sword that Sesshomaru had Toto-Sai forge for her as the group gathered to stare into the swirling mass. "What is it?"

"I do not know, love." Sesshomaru laid a hand on Tori's shoulder. "I do not like it."

"Well, I'm going to find out what it is." Inu-Yasha bounded into the vortex and disappeared.

Kagome hefted her yellow bag and started forward. "I'm going to sit him so bad when I find him." She jumped into the vortex.

"Kagome!" Shippo ran into the vortex as Rin followed him.

"Rin!" Tori jumped forward to grab Rin but was sucked into the vortex.

Sesshomaru ran into the vortex after Tori. Koga glanced at Miroku and Sango while Kirara ran into the vortex.

"Any more of us going in?" Koga watched Sango run into the swirling mass of light and dust after her beloved friends.

"Like I'm letting Sango go to …wherever alone." Miroku jumped into the vortex praying to Kami that he landed with his wife.

Koga looked at the dying fire and quickly dumped the pot of water onto the smoldering coals before running into the vortex.

* * *

Tori caught a glimpse of a brilliant green racing up to meet her. Her screams filled the air moments before she slammed into the ground. What seemed like hours had passed before Tori opened her eyes and looked around at the trees surrounding her. A man and a child were kneeling next to her. "Where's that _baka_ _hanyou_? I'm going to kill him after Kagome sits him to death."

"What is a _hanyou_, my dear lady?" The man's beard almost touched the ground and his blue eyes were filled with questions.

"A half-demon. He's the one that has the puppy dog ears on his head." Tori groaned slightly as she struggled to sit up.

"There isn't anyone here that fits that description." The child had extremely curly hair, bright blue eyes, and hair on the tops of his feet.

"Not again." Tori shook her head slightly before looking at him a second time. "Please tell me that I'm dreaming all this."

"You are not dreaming, dear lady." The man helped Tori to her feet.

"First I get captured by droids and now I've been sucked into a swirling vortex to God only knows where. What did I do wrong in my life?" Tori shook her head slightly. Her head jerked up when she heard her name. Shippo, Rin, and Kirara came running toward her. "Shippo, Rin, Kirara, are you alright?"

"Of course, _reidou_." Rin hugged Tori's legs as Shippo looked up at the man standing behind Tori.

"Perhaps we should introduce ourselves." The man bowed to Tori as she gathered Rin closer to her. "I am Gandalf the Grey."

"I'm Frodo Baggins." Frodo pointed at Kirara. "Does that cat have two tails?"

Tori laughed slightly. "Yes. I did the same thing when I met her." She bowed to Gandalf and Frodo. "I am Tori, Lady the Western Lands. This is my adopted daughter, Rin, my adopted nephew, Shippo, and Kirara, a _neko-akuma_, cat demon."

"Does Shippo have a fox tail?" Gandalf looked down at Tori.

"Yes. He's a _kitsune-akuma_, a fox demon." Tori knelt down so that she could look at Shippo and Rin. "Did either of you see any of the others?"

"No." Shippo shook his head. "We looked everywhere."

"Sesshomaru isn't going to like this." Tori climbed wearily to her feet as she shook her head. "I'm afraid that wherever my mate is, he's tearing it apart." She shifted her sword slightly as she looked around and spotted her pack. "Damn, it made it." She ran over to her pack, opened it and rummaged through it. "It looks like everything is okay." Tori hefted the pack and turned to look at Gandalf. "If you could point us in the direction of a village, we'll be on our way to find our friends."

"It would be best if you waited here in the Shire for a few days." Gandalf gently took the pack from Tori. "Come. I am sure the Hobbits will welcome you with open arms."

"Hobbits?" Shippo jumped onto Tori's shoulder as Rin took her hand. "What are Hobbits?"

Frodo laughed heartily. "I'm a Hobbit." He took Rin's other hand as they followed Gandalf back to a horse drawn wagon. "You will meet many beings here in Middle Earth."

"Hmm. Middle Earth. Well, I hope everyone else is safe, wherever they are." Tori accepted Gandalf's hand to help her into the wagon.

Rin and Shippo jumped into the back of the wagon as Frodo climbed onto the seat beside Tori. Gandalf climbed onto the seat on the other side of Tori and flicked the reins once, setting the horse into motion.


	2. Chapter 1: The Baggins Party

_**Author's Notes: I don't own anyone from Lord of the Rings. If I did Frodo wouldn't have gone on to the Grey Havens. Legolas would be teaching me how to use a bow and arrow. Aragorn and Arwen would have been married long before the Ring was found. I don't own any of the Inu-Yasha characters. If I did, Sesshomaru would be joining Legolas in teaching me how to use a sword. Enjoy.**_

_**Recently I got copies of the show and saw that the spelling of Sesshomaru is indeed spelled wrong. Forgive me but I was going by what I saw in the magnas. I did correct the spelling in all the chapters.**_

**

* * *

**

Chapter 1 

**The Baggins Party**

Tori looked around the small room that Frodo's uncle had given her. She knew that Rin and Shippo were in rooms across the hall. Bilbo Baggins had been very kind to allow them to stay here with him and Frodo even though they knew nothing about the group. Kirara was curled upon her bed when Tori decided that it was time to speak with their host. She left the room as a loud knocking sounded on the door. She heard Bilbo's gasp as she moved toward the kitchen.

"Sackville-Bagginses. They've never forgiven me for living this long." Bilbo sank into one of the chairs near the kitchen fireplace.

"I know the feeling." Tori ducked her head as she stepped into the kitchen. "You know they're still out there."

"They'll never take the hint, Bilbo." Gandalf lifted the lid to the teapot on the table.

"I think I can handle that." Tori waggled her eyebrows as she hurried back to the door.

Bilbo watched as Tori disappeared around the wall near the front door. "What do you think she'll do?"

"We'll have to see." Gandalf had risen and moved toward the door with Bilbo right behind him.

Tori had pulled the door open and stared down at the two Hobbits standing on the front step. "Can I help you?"

"We want to see Bilbo." The female Hobbit glared up at Tori.

"Oh really?" Tori watched them nod for a moment. "If you don't leave him alone, I'll take my sword and chop you up into pieces so small that Kirara won't even be able to find them." She leaned down close to the two Hobbits. "And that is a promise." She watched as the offending Hobbits hurried away from the house. She closed the door with a snap of her wrist and turned around to face her audience. "And that is how you take care of annoyances." Tori moved past Gandalf as Bilbo grabbed her hand.

"I thank you, dear lady." Bilbo kissed the back of her hand. "I've been trying for years to keep them away from myself."

"It's nothing. I do the same thing to Sesshomaru's vassal, Jaken, whenever he bothers me or Rin." Tori whirled around when she heard the front door open slightly.

Gandalf and Bilbo noticed that her sword had been drawn as she spun around. Frodo came through the door and held up his hands.

"It's only me." Frodo slowly made his way to the kitchen.

"Sorry. Force of habit." Tori slid her sword back into her sheath. "You never know when Naraku will attack."

"I understand." Gandalf picked up his cup of tea as Tori sat in a chair and Frodo went to find Shippo and Rin. "Where did you get the sword?"

"Sesshomaru had it commissioned for me. He took one of his fangs and had Toto-Sai forge it." Tori spun her cup slightly. She had gotten used to the handle-less teacups of Japan.

"His fang?" Bilbo placed a plate with slices of cake onto the table.

"He's an _inu-akuma_, a dog demon. Inu-Yasha is his half-brother." Tori pushed the cup away from her as a sadness crept over her features. She fingered the hilt of the sword. "The sapphire is a symbol of our region. He put the garnet in it to symbolize our love."

"You miss him." It wasn't a question. Gandalf could see the sorrow in the lady's crystal blue eyes.

Tori nodded slightly as she swiped at the tears forming in her eyes. "This is the first time we've been separated since we mated."

"You will find him." Gandalf's gaze drifted to behind her. He watched as Shippo and Rin tried to sneak up on Tori.

"Don't even think about it, you two." Tori never turned around but she knew that the two children had frozen in their tracks.

Gandalf watched the children come into the kitchen slowly and take seats at the table. "How did you know they were there?"

"I used to be a cop and Sesshomaru has taught me a few things." Tori glanced at the children. "Those two are always trying to get the drop on me."

Shippo looked up from the cake Bilbo had placed before him. "Do you blame us? We've got to keep up the training that the Jedi gave us."

Tori just shook her head slightly. "So what is going on around here tonight?"

Bilbo nearly spilled his tea. "Today's my birthday. I'd forgotten that I wanted to invite you and your friends."

Tori looked over at the anxious children before looking down at the meowing Kirara. Cheers accompanied her grin. "We'd be honored, Bilbo." She rose to her feet and gave him a deep bow.

"I will show you where the party is going to be." Frodo climbed to his feet as Rin hurried over to grab his hand. "Come on, Shippo."

"I'm coming." Shippo grabbed Rin's other hand and walked with Frodo out the front door.

Tori sighed softly as she followed after Rin and Shippo. "Stay here with Bilbo and Gandalf, Kirara. You know, just in case you're needed." She was rewarded by a small meow.

She had learned a lot in the small amount of time that she had been in Middle Earth. Frodo was in his thirties and therefore not a child even though he looked like one. All the Hobbits barely reached four foot in height, which was why she had mistaken him for a child. Tori's crystal blue eyes wandered around Hobbiton and took in everything. She saw the Sackville-Bagginses but they ran the other way, which made Tori smile slightly. She knew that Bilbo would be happy that his relatives wouldn't be bothering him all the time. A few minutes down the road stood a tree. Frodo looked back at Tori, who had stopped and stared at the tree. Shippo glanced between the tree and Tori before dropping Rin's hand. He hurried over the soon to be crying woman.

"What's wrong, Lady Tori?" Shippo hopped up onto her shoulder as Frodo and Rin hurried back to them.

"I was just thinking about the day that Sesshomaru and I got married in Inu-Yasha's Forest." Tori fished around her pocket for her ever-present handkerchief.

Shippo hugged Tori's neck while Rin wrapped her arms around her legs. "We're here with you and we'll find everyone else soon."

Tori gave Shippo a watery grin. "I hope you're right, Shippo." She gave Frodo a bright smile as she nodded toward the tree. "Is that where the party's going to be tonight?"

"Yes. It's called the Party Tree. We have had a party every year since Uncle Bilbo came back from his adventures." Frodo took Tori's hand in his and led her toward the tree.

"How many people will be here tonight?" Tori looked around at all the tables set and ready for that evening.

"Half the Shire's been invited." Frodo looked around at the mingling Hobbits. "Come on. I want you to meet one of my friends."

Tori followed Frodo and saw a young Hobbit that had blonde hair. He was digging in the dirt outside one of the round doors that were used for the Hobbit Homes. He waved to Frodo and watched as the strangers with him came closer. He dusted his hands on the legs of his pants and rose to his full height.

"Morning, Mr. Frodo." The Hobbit watched as Shippo jumped from his perch on Tori's shoulder.

"Morning, Sam. I want you to meet my houseguests. This is Lady Tori." Frodo pulled Tori forward slightly. "Her nephew, Shippo, and her daughter Rin." Frodo looked up at Tori. "Lady Tori, Shippo, Rin, this is my uncle's gardener and my best friend, Samwise Gamgee. We call him Sam for short."

Tori held out her hand and Sam grasped it firmly. "A pleasure to meet you, Samwise."

"The pleasure is all mine, my lady." Sam bowed slightly.

Tori laughed, making all the Hobbits passing nearby look at her. "Please don't call me 'my lady'. I get enough of that from the worthless toad, Jaken. Though when you say it, it feels much nicer."

Sam blushed slightly as Rin tugged on his arm. "Yes, little one?"

"Can I pick some of your pretty flowers?" Rin's eyes started to resemble a puppy dog's eyes.

Sam knelt so that he could look into Rin's eyes and smiled. "Of course you can. Come on. I'll show you where I've planted the prettiest ones to make a little girl happy."

Rin squealed before looking back at Tori, who just smiled and nodded. Rin gripped Sam's hand and he led her around the small hill that was his home.

Tori looked down at Shippo. "Go on, Shippo. Help Rin pick some flowers." Shippo bounced out of sight leaving Tori standing with Frodo. "Perhaps I'd better go back to the house and help out a bit. After all we are going to be here for a while."

"I'll take you back." Frodo walked beside the woman and wondered what they were going to do about their missing friends.

Tori thought about the same thing. _How far apart were we dropped? Has Sesshomaru tried to kill anyone yet?_ Tori was jerked back to reality by two younger Hobbits talking to Frodo.

"Where are the others? I thought you said that there were four strangers." The younger of the two kept looking behind Tori and Frodo.

Tori rolled her eyes as she pulled out her sword and popped the Hobbit's head with the hilt of it. "I'm standing right here, young man."

The Hobbit looked up at Tori. "Sorry."

The other Hobbit smiled slightly, trying to get Tori to put her sword away. "Forgive Pippin, Miss. He didn't mean anything by it."

"Yeah right." Tori slid her sword back into its sheath. "I've heard that excuse before."

Pippin looked down at the ground as his companion slapped him across the back of his head. "What was that for, Merry?"

"You insulted the lady." Merry glared at his cousin. "I'm Meriadoc Brandybuck and this is Peregrin Took. We're cousins of dear Frodo here."

"I'm Lady Tori of the Western Lands." Tori's eyes narrowed slightly. "If you dare call me my lady, I'll pound you into dust."

Merry smiled as Pippin started to ask why. Merry took the hint and stepped on Pippin's foot. "Sorry again."

"That's okay. I'm used to it." Tori ignored Pippin, who was still in extreme pain from being hit on the head. TWICE! "I'm going to head back to Bag End, Frodo."

"See you at the party tonight." Frodo waved as Tori disappeared around the bend of the road. He turned back to Merry and Pippin. "What brings you this way hours before the party?"

"Just wanting to check on the newcomers." Merry shrugged slightly. "Lady Tori is very pretty."

"And very taken. She is married to a very powerful being." Frodo rolled his eyes slightly.

Merry shook his head as Shippo, Rin, and Sam came around the house. "Hello there."

Frodo pushed Merry away from the children, knowing by instinct that Tori would kill anyone that hurt them. Since he had heard her story, he knew that she was very protective of the children, especially Rin. Rin and Shippo giggled at the wrestling Hobbits, which only encouraged them all the more. Sam shook his head as he took the children's hands and led them back to Bag End.

"Those three are always doing that." Sam watched Rin and Shippo smile at everyone Hobbit they passed. "You two are certainly well mannered."

"That comes from traveling with me and Kagome." None of them had realized that they had about overtaken Tori since she was moving at a leisurely pace. "If they only traveled with Inu-Yasha and Sesshomaru they would rude or cruel."

"_Otokooya _isn't cruel." Rin looked up at her mother.

Tori smiled down at her daughter. "Not since we mated." She laughed as Rin blushed slightly. "Come on. Let's go help Bilbo."

"I got him some flowers for his birthday." Rin held up a small bouquet of various flowers.

"I'm sure he'll love them." Tori ruffled Rin's hair as Bag End came into view. "Let's go show Bilbo the flowers you picked."

Rin ran to the circular door and pushed it open. Tori heard Sam moving away from her and Shippo but Shippo scampered over to him. "I'm going to go and help Sam."

Tori nodded as she turned back to the door and disappeared into the depths of the house. Bilbo assured her that there wasn't anything for her and Rin to do so she took Rin and gave her a bath and dressed her in one of the kimonos in her pack. Tori bathed after she had Rin ready for the party. She pulled out the kimono that was designed just for her by a team of weavers that Sesshomaru had hired. It was a pale blue kimono, just a shade or so deeper than her eyes. There were dark blue crescent moons scattered across the right side of the kimono while pure white full moons decorated the left side. She dressed quickly and tied the white _obi_ around her waist. Usually she had Kagome or Sango to do it but they had shown her the way to do it herself. Tears welled up in her eyes as she thought of her friends and family. _I hope the two of you are safe wherever you are._ Tori left her hair loose around her shoulders. It had grown in the last month of traveling and now hung closer to the middle of her back. She left her makeup off so that she didn't scare any of the Hobbits. A knock sounded on her door just as she tied her sword at her waist.

"Just a moment." Tori dug through her pack for a moment before pulling out a jade comb with several sapphires embedded in the edge. She pulled her hair back and moved to the door. She opened it to reveal Gandalf.

"You look lovely, Lady Tori." Gandalf held out a hand. "Bilbo and I are heading down to the party now. May we escort you?"

"I would be honored." She laid her hand on Gandalf's arm and allowed him to lead her outside. She smelled the slight scent of tobacco smoke. It reminded her of her father and his pipe. "Were the two of you out here smoking?"

"Why yes." Bilbo tapped his pipe free of any ashes. "Old Toby, the best pipe weed of the South Farthing."

Tori smiled as she shook her head slightly. "Let's go to your party." She looked around for a moment. "Where's Rin?"

"Frodo came and took her to the party already." Gandalf patted her arm reassuringly.

The party was in full swing by the time they arrived. Tori laughed as several Hobbit children grabbed her free hand and dragged her toward the dancing area. She saw Shippo and Rin running with several of the hobbit children. Gandalf joined the Hobbits on the dance floor and Tori laughed as the kids took her hands and tried to dance with her.

Gandalf laughed at the sight of Tori dancing with such tiny children. He bowed to Tori. "May I have this dance, my lady?"

"Certainly, sir." Tori laughed as Gandalf spun her around the dance floor.

The Hobbits moved to the edges and watched as the wizard and Lady dance together. The cheered as Gandalf spun to a stop with the music. Tori was panting slightly as she fanned herself with her hands.

"You dance divinely, Lady Tori." Gandalf bowed to Tori, making her blush slightly.

Rin hurried over to Tori and Gandalf. "_Reidou_, you forgot this at the house." She held up Tori's CD player and the plug in speakers that Tori always carried.

"Thank you, Rin. Did you remember the CDs?" Tori took the machine from Rin and proceed to set it up on one of the many tables.

Shippo bounced over to them. "I've got them." He handed her a small box of shiny discs.

"Now I'm really going to show you how to dance." Tori shuffled the discs slightly before finding one with traditional Japanese music. She slid it into the CD player before reaching into the right sleeve of her kimono. "This is a dance that my mate taught me."

She snapped open her fan as Rin pressed the play button on the CD player. Slowly, Tori began to move in one of the _Katas_ that Sesshomaru insisted that she learn. Usually she did this with her sword but she didn't want to scare the children. As she did each move the Hobbits were amazed at her grace and balance. Gandalf watched her and knew that this would have been more dangerous if she had held her sword instead of a fan. _This woman is a power onto herself. She will be of great help if we need her. I wonder if the children also know this dance._ Tori's shout made several of the Hobbits jump but they realized that this was part of the dance. One last turn and she was finished. Slowly she bowed to the crowd. The Hobbits realized that she was finished about brought the Party Tree down with all their cheers. Shippo and Rin were hopping in place as Tori moved over to the CD player and turned it off. Rin was reaching into the box of CDs and pulled out one of Tori's favorites. It had an old picture of Toby Keith on it. Tori knew that it was his very first album.

"Can we put this one in, _reidou_?" Rin smiled up at her mother.

Tori nodded. "We'll only play the first song." The first strains of _Should have been a Cowboy_ filled the air. Tori's voice blended with Toby's beautifully. "Bet you never heard ol' Marshall Dillon say, Miss Kitty, have you ever thought of running away." She looked up as the Hobbits cheered for her voice. "Sorry about that. It's a habit I have."

"You have a lovely voice, my lady." One of the young female Hobbits stepped forward. "If you're going to be here for a while, perhaps you would like to work at the Green Dragon with my daughter Rosie. I believe the two of you would get along just fine."

"But Rin and Shippo…" Tori watched as another woman stepped forward.

"I can watch your little ones. I have plenty of my own so they'll fit right in." Tori recognized Mrs. Bracegirdle that Bilbo had spoken to only an hour earlier.

"Thank you, Mrs. Bracegirdle. I'd be grateful for any help you can offer." Tori bowed out of respect for this woman.

Some of the Hobbit children grabbed Gandalf's hands, breaking the silent happiness that had come over Tori. "Come do more fireworks, Gandalf!"

Tori laughed as Gandalf made his way to his wagon and lit one his many fireworks. After a few moments the firework went off to reveal a cloud of butterflies. Tori made her way over to Frodo and Sam. Frodo looked exhausted and Sam was embarrassed. She sank onto the bench next to Frodo.

"What's wrong, guys?" Tori took a sip of the distilled water that she had told Bilbo she preferred for herself and the children.

"Sam won't go and ask Rosie to dance." Frodo laughed as the blush on Sam's cheeks deepened.

"Then, we're going to have to remedy that." Tori climbed to her feet and grabbed Sam's right arm. "Get his other arm, Frodo."

Frodo laughed as he grabbed a hold of Sam's left arm. Together he and Tori shoved Sam into Rosie's arms. Rosie laughed as she grabbed Sam and began to dance with him. Frodo smiled knowingly at Tori. She was great fun but could be very serious if she needed to be.

"That was great." Frodo watched Tori sit back on the bench. "I'm going to find Uncle Bilbo."

Tori nodded as she began to eat from the plate that had been set before her. She looked around the party until she spotted Rin. Several children were seated around her and she was telling them of some of their travels. She looked around the crowds but couldn't find Shippo. She shook her head as she hurried over to Gandalf who was setting up some more fireworks.

"Gandalf, have you seen Shippo?" Tori was starting to get worried. It wasn't like Shippo to run off without telling anyone.

Gandalf looked around the party. "Not recently. You go look around the Party Tree. I'll check all the tents."

Neither of them noticed the movements behind Gandalf's wagon. Merry and Pippin had filched one of the largest fireworks and took into one of the tents. Shippo had followed them.

"You've got to stick it in the ground." Merry shoved the unlit firework at Pippin.

Pippin pushed it back at Merry. "It is in the ground."

Shippo shook his head as he jumped onto the top of the firework, effectively shoving it deeper into the hard earth. "I'm going to light it, guys." Shippo hopped off the firework and carefully took aim. "Fox Fire!"

A blue flame engulfed the small fuse for the firework. None of them knew what happened next. Tori was walking near the Party Tree when the huge firework exploded in the sky and turned into a dragon. She saw Rin starting to gather the Hobbit children and rushed over to them.

"Dragon, Uncle Bilbo!" Frodo tried to hurry his uncle along.

"Nonsense! There hasn't been a dragon in these parts in nearly a hundred years." Bilbo tripped over a root and Frodo landed on top of his uncle.

Tori picked up the pace to get to the children. "Rin! Get them down!" Tori pulled her sword from its sheath as she moved through the Hobbits.

Rin shoved the children to the ground and covered them with her body as Tori slid to a stop less than a foot from the group. She spun around ready to attack the dragon as it flew low over the Hobbits. The dragon flew past her and the children and exploded into a gorgeous display over the lake.

"_Reidou_, what was that?" Rin scrambled to her feet. Her kimono was smudged with dirt from where she had tried to get the children down.

Tori sheathed her sword as Rin helped the children to their feet. "I'm not sure. I think it was a firework. I'm going to find Gandalf." Tori lifted the hem of her kimono and rushed back to where she had last seen Gandalf.

"Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took. I should have known that it was you." He turned to stare at the small kitsune trying to hide under a singed piece of canvas. "And you, Shippo. I would have thought you would know better."

Tori slid to a stop. "Shippo was in on it." She glared down at the kitsune. "What am I to tell Kagome when we find her? I know she taught you better than that. You guys could've seriously hurt someone." She never noticed Gandalf taking several steps back. "I ought to take each one of you over my knee and tan your hides."

Gandalf laid a hand on her shoulder. "I have a better punishment."

"And what would that be?" Tori's eyes were still narrowed at the three troublemakers.

Gandalf just smiled and motioned for them to follow him. Tori grabbed Merry and Shippo while Gandalf had a hold of Pippin. They led them over to the tent that held several tubs of water and three Hobbit women scrubbing the pots that the food had been cooked in.

"The two of you will wash all the dishes." Gandalf waved the women away as Merry and Pippin were pushed toward the tubs of water.

Tori put Shippo back on the ground. "And you will go and get the dirty dishes for them."

Gandalf sat on a stool to oversee their work. Tori leaned against one of the tent posts as Bilbo scrambled onto the stage. Frodo was standing halfway between the stage and the washing tent.

"My dear Baggines and Boffins! Tooks and Brandybucks! Grubbs! Chubbs! Bracegirdles! And Proudfoots!" As Bilbo spoke each group tried to cheer louder than the one before.

"Proudfeet!" An old Hobbit shook a fist at Bilbo.

Bilbo simply waved him away. "And I must not forget my dear friend Gandalf as well as my company, Lady Tori, Shippo and Rin. Unfortunately Kirara …" He looked down at Kirara pawing his leg. "And Kirara!" He held her up before letting her down to run over to Tori. "Today is my 111th birthday!" Bilbo smiled at everyone yelling 'Happy Birthday'. "Alas, 111 years is hardly enough time to live among such excellent and admirable Hobbits. I don't know half of you as well as I should like, and I like less than half of you as well as you deserve."

Tori straightened slightly as she watched Bilbo reach into his pocket. She leaned closer to Gandalf. "Something's up."

Bilbo put his hands behind him as he played with his ring. "I…I have things to do. I regret to announce that this is the end. I bed you all a fond farewell. Goodbye." Suddenly he disappeared.

Tori surged forward while reaching for her sword. "What the hell happened?" She turned around to find Gandalf. "Gandalf?"

"_Reidou_? Where did Bilbo-_sama_ go?' Rin looked up at her mother.

"I don't know, Rin, but I plan on finding out." Tori tried to push her way through the Hobbits.

Most of the Hobbits were starting to yell at Tori and Frodo, as if they knew what had happened. Frodo grabbed Tori's hand and started to try and lead her back to Bag End.

"Uncle Bilbo often said that he wanted to go see the elves again." Frodo tried to sneak past the Sackville-Bagginses but they had him cornered.

Tori growled as she looked around the crowds. _Something's going on but what? Why do I have the feeling that I've gotten into the middle of another war. I wish Sesshomaru was here. He'd know what to do._


	3. Chapter 2: The One Ring of Power

_**Author's Notes: I don't own anyone from Lord of the Rings. If I did Frodo wouldn't have gone on to the Grey Havens. Legolas would be teaching me how to use a bow and arrow. Aragorn and Arwen would have been married long before the Ring was found. I don't own any of the Inu-Yasha characters. If I did, Sesshomaru would be joining Legolas in teaching me how to use a sword. Enjoy.**_

_**Recently I got copies of the show and saw that the spelling of Sesshomaru is indeed spelled wrong. Forgive me but I was going by what I saw in the magnas. I did correct the spelling in all the chapters.**_

**

* * *

**

Chapter 2 

**The One Ring of Power**

Frodo couldn't understand what was happening or why. He was as shocked as everyone else when Bilbo had disappeared but at least Tori managed to keep him calm about what was going on. He looked toward Bag End and saw Gandalf entering the house. "There's Gandalf, Lady Tori."

"Right." Tori started to push her way through the Hobbits while Frodo was trying to keep everyone calm. Finally Tori snapped. She unsheathed her sword and held it above her head. "I want everyone to get away from me now before I have to hurt someone." Tori's voice rang loud and clear. But that wasn't the reason that the Hobbits scattered.

Tori's sword had started to glow a soft lavender with her anger. Not one of the Hobbits knew what to make of this after all none of them had seen a sword do this. Tori sheathed her sword as she reached for Frodo's hand. Together they made their way through the crowd. Kirara had managed to keep Rin and Shippo from following them while shocking the Hobbits by turning into her full form.

"What do you think happened?" Frodo looked up at this strange lady that had literally dropped from the sky and into the Shire. "Do you think someone killed Uncle Bilbo?"

"Nah! There'd have been a body if that were the case." Tori slid the comb holding her hair out and let her hair swing free. "I'm only hoping that Naraku hasn't shown up here."

"Naraku? Who's that?" He noticed the anger in Tori's eyes.

"A half-demon that's trying to get all the shards of the Shikon No-Tama."

"The what?"

"Don't worry about it, Frodo." Tori gave him a slight smile. "For now let's focus on your uncle."

"Right." Frodo opened the door. "Uncle Bilbo!" Something glittered on the floor of the foyer.

Tori saw that it was a gold ring and had an urge to pick it up. She shook her head to clear the feeling from her head. Qui-Gon had taught her how to focus her mind to keep out temptations. "Where's Bilbo?"

"I don't know." Frodo looked into Bilbo's study and saw Gandalf staring in the fire.

Tori heard several words, one that was Precious. "Gandalf?" She walked across the room and laid a hand on his shoulder. "Gandalf!"

Gandalf jumped slightly and looked down at the ring in Frodo's hand. His eyes seemed to clear as he focused on the ring. "Bilbo's ring. He's gone to stay with the elves." He held out an envelope and Frodo dropped the ring into it. "He's left you Bag End and everything in it." Tori watched as Gandalf poured some wax onto the back of the envelope and pressed his pipe onto the wax. "I want you to put this somewhere secret and safe."

Tori watched Gandalf gather his staff and hat. "Where the hell are you going?"

"I have questions that need to be answered." Gandalf hurried to the door.

Tori grabbed his arm. "We've all got questions that need to be answered!"

Gandalf grabbed Tori's arm and hurried to the door. "I'm afraid that your quest to find your friends will have to be put on hold for a while, my lady."

"What do you mean? Does it have to do with that … that ring?"

"I'm afraid it might. Ask that you and the children stay here and protect Frodo."

Tori glanced back at the Hobbit staring at the envelope in his hands. "You don't think that someone here in the Shire would harm him, do you?"

"It's no one from the Shire. I will know when I have completed my research." Gandalf pulled his hat onto his head. "Just keep him and that ring safe."

"I'll do my best, Master Wizard." Tori gave Gandalf a bow before he hurried to his horse and rode into the night. She turned around to look at the shocked young Hobbit before her. "Come on, Frodo. Let's get you into bed but first give me a second." She stepped out into the clear night and cupped her hands around her mouth. "Kirara! Bring the kids back to Bag End!"

Kirara flew over the crowd of Hobbits and landed just outside the gate of Bag End. She let Rin and Shippo scramble from her back before changing back to her smaller size. Rin knelt down and scooped up Kirara.

"Is it time for bed, _Reidou_?" Rin looked up at Tori before letting out a big yawn. "'Cause I'm tired."

Tori closed the door behind them and turned the lock before placing one of the seals that Miroku had given her only the night before on the doorjamb beside the lock. "Yes. To bed with the both of you." Tori gave Shippo and Rin each a kiss and a hug before sending them on to their beds. "I'll be in to make sure you're okay in a minute." She watched as each child hurried into their rooms. She turned and looked down at Frodo. "Come on, Frodo. To bed with you." She draped an arm around Frodo's shoulders and led him to his room.

Frodo looked up the woman who had taken over the role of caregiver so quickly. "He always wanted to go back and see the elves again. Even to go back and see the Lonely Mountain one more time."

"Now he has that chance. Come on." Tori led Frodo into his room. "Get changed. I'll be back after I check on the children." She moved out the door and closed it softly behind her before going down the hall and looking in on Shippo and Rin. Both children were sprawled out on their beds. Tori toed her shoes off before making her way over to tuck them into bed properly. She smiled softly as Rin cuddled into one of her pillows. Tori hurried back to Frodo. She was worried that he was going to do something tragic. She needn't have worried. When she opened the door and saw Frodo holding the envelope. "Didn't Gandalf say to put that somewhere safe?"

"But where?" Frodo looked up at Tori.

"Give it here. I'll put it in one of the chests in the study. That way no one will ever find it." Tori held out her hand and Frodo placed the envelope into her hand. "Now you need your sleep. You'll most likely have company tomorrow."

Frodo scrambled under his covers and Tori made her way back to the door. "Good night, Lady Tori."

"Good night, Frodo." Tori closed the door and hurried to the study. She looked around at the four trunks in the room. _I'll hide it now and no one will be the wiser._ Tori opened the one sitting closest to the kitchen and buried the envelope under all the papers in it. She wearily climbed to her feet and went to the kitchen to make herself a cup of tea.

------

Several months had passed and Tori was behind the behind the counter at the Green Dragon filling the mugs full of ale for Frodo. She smiled as she gave them to him. "Take it easy with this stuff, Frodo."

"I will, Tori." Frodo made his way through the crowded barroom.

Merry and Pippin were dancing on one of the tables and singing. Everyone laughed as the song ended with Pippin downing a mug of beer. Tori watched them for a moment before filling up a few more mugs. She knew that Frodo would tell her the news but she worried constantly that someone would return and tell them that Gandalf was hurt or worse, dead. She had come into the Green Dragon one day and met with Rosie. They had hit it off so well that soon they were talking like old friends.

"We're going to need more ale soon, Rosie." Tori gathered a few of the dirty mugs and dropped them into sink and started to wash them thoroughly. "I'll go and get another barrel when I get these done."

"Thanks, Tori. You know, you don't act like a lady." Rosie wiped down the bar as Tori wiped her hands on her apron.

"Well, I wasn't raised as a lady. I was a normal person once." Tori smiled softly as she thought of her love. "Then I met Sesshomaru and we got married."

Rosie noticed the sadness in Tori's eyes. "You still miss him, don't you?"

"Yeah. I just hope he hasn't gone crazy looking for me." Tori laughed slightly as she moved toward the back room. "I'm going to get some more ale. When I get back we'll talk about you and Samwise."

Rosie blushed as she turned to look at the love of her life. "He doesn't even know that I exist."

Tori just grinned. "I bet you that he does." She disappeared into the back room. Quickly, she rolled a new barrel of ale out into the bar. She hefted it onto the empty stand and pounded the tap in while Rosie rolled the empty barrel into the back room. Tori started to wipe off her hands as Rosie came out of the back room. "What makes you think he doesn't notice you?"

"Well, whenever we're alone he ignores me or hurries off to do who knows what." Rosie watched Sam for a minute before turning back to her new friend.

"You know all he does when he comes over to Bag End is talk about you and how he's going to marry you some day." Tori's eyes twinkled brightly. "I know he likes you but he's scared to tell you."

"I guess." Rosie looked at the clock as it chimed midnight. "Time to close up."

"Right." Tori noticed that Mrs. Bracegirdle had already come in with Rin and Shippo. "I'll herd them out." Tori climbed onto one of the low tables, her head brushing the ceiling. "Okay, folks! Last call! You don't have to go home but you can't stay here!"

Tori climbed off the table as Rosie said good night to the customers. One of the young men dropped to his knees and started to spout poetry. Tori shook her head as she grabbed her pack and swung it over her shoulder.

Mrs. Bracegirdle was talking to Frodo and Sam as Tori left the bar. "Now you boys take good care of Lady Tori."

"I'm afraid, Mrs. Bracegirdle, that I'll be the one taking good care of them." Tori shifted her pack slightly before grabbing Rin's hand. "I take it the children behaved."

"Of course. They're always angels when they're not at home." Mrs. Bracegirdle hurried away as Tori smiled.

"Such a sweet woman. Come on. Let's get home." Tori marched the children, Frodo, and Sam along the path that led to Bag End.

The four that resided at Bag End waved goodbye to Sam before they went into the Hobbit hole. Tori flung out her arm when she noticed that the door was swinging open in the wind. Slowly she drew her sword as she approached the door. Since the day that Bilbo had disappeared she had taken to wearing it around the Shire. Most of the Hobbits knew that she wouldn't use it unless she were attacked. Now she held the sword at the ready as she pushed the door open the rest of the way and started in to see what had decided to enter the house she had sworn to protect. Rin and Shippo stayed outside the door until Tori told them that it was safe to come in. Frodo, meanwhile, had followed Tori into the house. He was worried that she would get hurt while protecting him and the children. Neither of them saw anyone but as they turned into the study they saw the papers from several of the chests scattered around the room and a fire was crackling warmly in the grate.

"Who did this?" Frodo started toward the fireplace as Tori cautiously made her way to the chest nearest to the kitchen.

Tori knelt next to the chest and saw that the lock hadn't been tampered with. "It looks like whatever they were looking for wasn't here. Let's get this…" She grabbed Frodo and drug him behind her when she heard something drop in the foyer. "Stay here." Her voice could barely be heard but Frodo knelt close to the chest as Tori slowly moved toward the foyer. She raised her sword above her head and jumped into the foyer. She barely stopped the downswing of the sword when she saw who was standing in the darkness. "Gandalf! You scared me half to death."

"I see you are taking your job seriously, my lady." Gandalf moved into the study as Tori slid her sword back into its sheath.

"Of course I am. You did ask me to protect him. Besides Kagome would kill me if I showed without Shippo." Tori made her way to the front door and ushered the children and Kirara into the house. She closed and locked the door before replacing the sutra once more. _I've been getting a lot of use out of those things. I'll have to get more from Miroku soon._ She noticed Frodo and Gandalf talking.

"Where did you put the ring, Tori?" Frodo looked over at the now relaxing woman.

"In the one chest Gandalf didn't open. Why?" Tori watched as Frodo opened the chest and started to rummage through it.

Frodo pulled out the sealed envelope and handed it to Gandalf, who threw it into the fire. Tori and Frodo started forward. Tori only wanted to see what would happen next while Frodo was worried about the ring. Gandalf waited for the paper to burn and the ring heated for a moment or two. He grabbed the tongs for the fireplace and picked up the ring.

"Hold out your hand, Frodo." Gandalf waited for a reaction but noticed that Tori had moved several steps back away from them. "It's quite cool." He dropped the ring into Frodo's outstretched hand and turned to face the fire once more. "Tell me what you see."

"Nothing." Frodo turned the ring carefully.

"No writing?" Gandalf seemed to let out the breath he was holding.

"There's noth… Wait. I see some form of Elvish but I can't read it." Frodo looked up at the slumped form of Gandalf.

"There are few that can. It's the language of Mordor which I will not utter here."

Tori stepped forward as Frodo closed his hand around the ring. "Mordor? What the hell is going on?"  
"It says in the common tongue, 'One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.'" Gandalf turned to look at Frodo and Tori. "We need to talk."

"I'll say." Tori turned around and looked at Shippo and Rin. "Give me a few minutes to put the kids to bed."

"We'll get a pot of tea ready." Frodo and Gandalf disappeared into the kitchen.

Tori led Rin and Shippo to her room. "Listen very closely. I want the two of you to gather everything we will need for a journey. We're going to be leaving either tonight or in the morning."

"But what about Mr. Frodo?" Rin looked up at her mother.

"He'll be coming with us. Just pack our things. He'll get his own. Whatever you do, do not come out of this room until I call you." Tori watched the kids nod for a moment before racing back to the kitchen. "They'll be asleep before too long." She sat at the table as Frodo poured them some tea. "Now, what the hell is going on?"

"Over three thousand years ago, there were eleven rings forged…" Gandalf paused as he looked around the kitchen.

"Yeah, I've read about them. There was even a poem that Frodo showed me. 'Three Rings for Elven-kings under the sky, Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone, Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die, One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie. One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them In the Land of Mordor where the shadows lie.' But I thought it was all a legend." Tori picked up her cup and took a sip.

"It is no legend. Three thousand years ago a last alliance of men and elves fought on the slopes of Mount Doom. Isildur son of the king of Gondor took up his father's sword and cut off the One Ring. However the Ring can only be controlled by Sauron. He was the one that forged the great rings. Isildur went back to Gondor however he was betrayed by the Ring and was murdered. It was lost for 2500 years before it was found again." Gandalf looked at Frodo.

"Gollum found it. He hid in the Misty Mountains for 500 years before Bilbo found the ring." Frodo looked over at Tori who was trying to process this information. "Bilbo told me that he and Gollum figured out riddles…"

"Who the hell cares? What about this Sauron guy? Is he still around?" Tori slammed her fist into the table.

"Sauron was destroyed when the Ring was cut from his hand but I believe he is calling for his Ring once more." Gandalf glanced at the Ring sitting on the table.

"Well we're the only ones beside Bilbo that knows about the Ring." Frodo looked at Gandalf.

Gandalf sighed as he shook his head. "No. One other knew that Bilbo had the Ring. I looked everywhere for the creature Gollum but the enemy found him first." Tori clenched her hands into fists, knowing what Gandalf was going to say next. "Amidst the torturing and screams were two words. Baggins. Shire."

"That would lead them here!" Tori jumped to her feet hitting the table with her fists.

Neither she nor Gandalf had noticed that Frodo had grabbed the Ring. "We'll put it away and never speak of it again."

Tori grabbed Frodo's shoulders. "Frodo, it's too late. They already know where the Ring is."

Frodo turned to Gandalf and held out the Ring. "You take it, Gandalf."

"You cannot offer me this ring." Gandalf started back away from Frodo.

"But you have to take it!" Frodo continued to try and give the Ring to Gandalf.

Tori grabbed Frodo by his shoulders as she knelt down so she could look in his eyes. "He can't take it. Don't you see, Frodo? If he took it he could do great harm even if he were using it for good."

Frodo sighed as he looked down at the Ring in his hand. He looked up at Gandalf. "What do I have to do?"

Tori rose to her feet and glared at Gandalf. "What do we have to do?"  
"You don't…" Frodo gave her a weak smile.

"I know I don't. I'd never forgive myself if anything happened to you. Besides, my friends are out there somewhere fighting to keep Mordor at bay. I'm not letting them have all the fun." Tori smirked slightly. "Besides I still want to show up dog breath."

"Who?" Frodo and Gandalf looked a bit confused.

"Inu-Yasha." Tori giggled slightly as she watched Gandalf shake his head. "Now what are we doing?" She hurried back to her room and brought the children and Kirara back with her. "What are you waiting for, Frodo?"

Frodo jumped slightly and hurried to get his pack ready while Gandalf started to help. "Make for the village of Bree."

"Bree? Will the Ring be safe there?" Tori was shoving some food into another bag while Frodo finished packing his bag.

"I do not know. I will meet you there." Gandalf handed Fordo a shirt.

Tori dropped the cake she had been wrapping. "What the hell do you mean you'll meet us there? Where are you going?"

"I'm going to speak to the head of my order. He is both wise and powerful." Gandalf watched as Frodo swung his packed bag up onto his shoulder. "Hobbits are amazing creatures. You can learn all there is about them in a month and yet they surprise you continually."

Tori nodded slightly as she heard something outside of the window. Her voice was barely a whisper as she turned to face Gandalf. "Gandalf. I think we have company." She pushed Frodo to the floor as she pulled out her sword.

Gandalf tightened his grip on his staff as he made his way to the window. In one movement he had struck something with his staff and hauled a body into the room. He slammed the body onto a table that was sitting near the window. "Damn it all, Samwise Gamgee! Have you been eavesdropping?"  
"No…" Sam was stuttering so bad that Tori could barely make out what he was saying.

Tori shoved Gandalf away from the frightened Hobbit as Frodo climbed to his feet. "Sam, tell me what you heard."

"I heard about a Dark Lord, a Ring, and the end of the world." Sam looked between Tori holding her sword and Gandalf glaring at him. "Please don't hurt me."

"No…" Gandalf looked at Tori for a moment and smiled when she nodded slightly. "I believe we have another job for you."


	4. Chapter 3: Journey to Bree

_**Author's Notes: I don't own anyone from Lord of the Rings. If I did Frodo wouldn't have gone on to the Grey Havens. Legolas would be teaching me how to use a bow and arrow. Aragorn and Arwen would have been married long before the Ring was found. I don't own any of the Inu-Yasha characters. If I did, Sesshomaru would be joining Legolas in teaching me how to use a sword. Enjoy.**_

_**Recently I got copies of the show and saw that the spelling of Sesshomaru is indeed spelled wrong. Forgive me but I was going by what I saw in the magnas. I did correct the spelling in all the chapters.**_

**

* * *

**

Chapter 3 

**Journey to Bree**

Tori watched as Sam and Gandalf spoke softly to each other while she loaded their packs onto Kirara. She ignored the looks coming from Frodo as she petted Kirara's head. She turned to grab the last two packs when Frodo stopped her.

"Are you sure Kirara will do this for us?" Frodo looked up at Kirara in her full form.

"If I had Ah-Un here it would be easier. He can carry a lot more. Unfortunately the little toad had to take him to get back to the castle." Tori hefted one of the packs into the harness Gandalf had helped her make. "Besides, Kirara is always carrying us around on her back and this stuff weighs less than three of us, doesn't it, Kirara?" Kirara meowed slightly as Tori secured the last pack to the harness. "She's going to walk beside us so that if she gets tired we can take the packs and she'll transform into her smaller form and one of us can carry her."

"Sounds like a plan to me." Sam had returned from talking with Gandalf. "We won't have to worry about any of our things going missing, Mr. Frodo."

"Fine." Frodo moved away from Tori and Sam.

"Thanks, Samwise." Tori patted Sam's shoulder as Rin and Shippo each gave Gandalf a hug goodbye. She moved toward the wizard and hugged him tight. "Keep yourself safe, Gandalf." Tori kissed his withered cheek.

"That I will, my dear lady." Gandalf gave her a smile before looking at Frodo. "Is it secret? Is it safe?" Frodo patted one of his pockets lightly. "Good. Remember to keep off the roads. I'll meet you in Bree." He started to move toward his horse.

Tori hurried over to the wizard while Frodo and Sam took Shippo and Rin's hands and started across the fields. "Gandalf."

"Yes, Lady Tori?" Gandalf leaned on his staff as he stared at this woman before him.

Tori fingered a necklace before taking it off and putting it around Gandalf's neck. "This will help protect you."

"I cannot take this, my lady." Gandalf reached up to take the necklace off but Tori laid her hand over his.

"I want you to take it. I've just got a feeling that the guy you're gonna see isn't the friendliest of characters." Tori shrugged slightly as if she were trying to rid herself of a bad dream. "Sesshomaru gave this to me." She noticed that Gandalf was going to say something. "He told me that it would protect whomever I gave it to. I want to make sure that you make it to Bree." Tori kissed his cheek one last time before hurrying after the Hobbits and children with Kirara right behind her.

Gandalf laid a hand over the charm before lifting so that he could look it over. A small jade dragon was protecting a black pearl. He nodded slightly before mounting his horse and galloping to the South toward Isengard.

-----

Tori hefted the pack on her shoulder slightly as she watched Rin and Shippo chase each other in the fields. She noticed that Sam had stopped in his tracks. She looked over at his sad face. "What is it, Samwise?"

"This is the furthest I've ever been from home." Sam looked up at Tori.

Tori laughed making the birds leave their branches. "I know what you mean." She started to walk after Frodo and the children.

"Hey wait! What do you mean?" Sam hurried after her.

"Well. About a month ago, I was captured and taken to another world. Until that time I'd never traveled anywhere or done anything special but now I'm a hero on Naboo and I'm the mate to a powerful demon lord." Tori smiled as she laid a hand one Sam's shoulder. "Come on. We'd better catch up to the others so we can make camp."

"Okay." Sam hurried after Tori's retreating form. They saw Frodo and the children taking turns carrying Kirara.

Tori hurried over to them and smiled. "We'd better make camp before it gets dark."

"Okay, Lady Tori." Frodo noticed several trees that looked like they had been hollowed out for a campsite. "How about over there?"

"Looks good." Tori scrambled up the slight hill and dropped her pack beside the trees. "I'm going to look for firewood. Shippo and Samwise, I want the two of you to go and get some water from the creek over there. Take Kirara with you."

Shippo and Sam scrambled onto Kirara's back and took off toward the creek that Tori had told them about. Tori disappeared into the forest and began to gather the fallen limbs and twigs that she could find. Fordo and Rin rummaged through the packs looking for something to make for supper. Tori dropped her load of wood beside Frodo and Rin only a few minutes after she had left. She grabbed her pack and disappeared behind one of the trees before returning and setting her pack on the ground while Rin unrolled their sleeping bags. She had returned wearing a kimono that spoke of her station in Japan. Together, she and Frodo started the fire and began cooking some of the food as Sam, Kirara, and Shippo returned to the campsite. In minutes, Tori had the water boiling over the campfire so that she could put in the last few packages of Ramen noodles that were residing in the bottom of her pack. She was just about to drop the noodles into the water when Frodo sat up from his spot on a tree branch.

"Listen." Frodo turned slightly so that he was facing the east. "Wood-Elves."

Tori caught Frodo as he jumped from the tree branch. "What are Wood-Elves?"

"You'll see." Frodo ran into the forest with the others right behind him.

They reached a small rise and Frodo made them crawl to the top of the hill. Tori ignored this and stood regally at the top of the hill. She watched the long line of elves passing the hidden Hobbits and children. _I'm glad I decided to wear my royal kimono._ She noticed several of the male elves coming toward her. Her right hand rested on the hilt of her sword as she bowed to them.

"Please, my lady. Our lady wishes to speak with you." One of the elves extended a hand to her and Tori placed hers on top of it and allowed him to lead her to one of the she-elves sitting upon a horse.

The she-elf looked down at Tori as she curtsied quickly. "Why do you spy on us?"

"I'm not spying. I've never seen Wood-Elves before and a friend of mine said that you were passing through." Tori bowed her head out of respect.

"How is it that you have never seen Wood-Elves? Are you not from the North?"

"No, I'm not. I come from a distant land that can't be found on any map of Middle Earth."

"I see." The she-elf rummaged through a pouch at her waist. "Please take this for safe passage through these woods." She handed a silver crown to Tori. "It will show all creatures that you and your friends have our permission to be here."

"Thank you, my lady." Tori bowed again as the line of Wood-Elves began to move again. "I pray that you have a safe passage to wherever you are going."

The she-elf nodded before nudging her horse ahead. Tori watched the Wood-Elves go before she moved back to the children and the Hobbits. Frodo and Sam both seemed a little sad that they hadn't gotten to speak with the Elves but Tori merely shrugged as she placed the crown on her head. Rin and Shippo hurried back to campsite and the warm fire. Tori picked up the packets of Ramen noodles and finished making their meal.

"I can't believe the Elves talked to you." Frodo poked his food slightly.

"Well, I guess they thought I was from the North, whatever that meant." Tori sipped her tea as Rin and Shippo finished eating. "Frodo, where were the Elves going?"

"To the Grey Havens. They're leaving Middle Earth." Frodo frowned slightly as he continued to pick at his food.

"Why?" Tori was confused. _Why would such beautiful and powerful beings leave Middle Earth?_

Frodo shrugged as he placed his full plate on the ground. "I don't know."

"It makes me sad." Sam placed the empty plates into a tub of water and started to wash them.

Tori noticed that Frodo wasn't eating so she picked up his plate and handed it to him. "You'd better eat, Frodo. I'm hoping to be more than halfway to Bree tomorrow evening. And you need to keep up your strength."

"Of course, my lady." Frodo looked up at the crown nestled in Tori's hair. "That crown is very beautiful."

Tori plucked the silver crown from her hair. "That it is. Whoever made it was a craftsman of the finest degree."

"I've only ever seen that fine craft from the Dwarves at the Lonely Mountain." Frodo took bite of his sausage.

"Lonely Mountain. Isn't that where Bilbo went on his adventure?" Tori looked up from wiping Rin's face with a damp cloth.

"Did he tell you about it?" Frodo watched Tori tucking Rin and Shippo into one of the sleeping bags.

"Some of it. Mostly about the dragon." Tori sank onto one of the logs around the fire. "It reminds me of the stories that I've been gathering lately."

"Tell us one." Sam looked up from the dishes he was drying.

"Okay." Tori tapped her chin for a moment. "I told you about our last adventure but I didn't tell you how it ended."

"You got as far as the Battle of Boona…" Sam stacked the plates in his pack.

"Naboo. Well, our friends James and Sirius decided that they needed to help Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon." Tori's eyes glazed over with tears as she thought of the great man that they had lost that day. "They fought against one man but even then we still lost someone."

"Who? Surely James or Sirius." Frodo handed Sam his now empty plate.

"Neither of them. They're very good fighters." Tori looked over at the sleeping children. "It was Qui-Gon. I warned them before the battle that we were going to loose somebody but they didn't want to listen." Tori shook her head slightly. "I believe it's time to go to sleep. We've got an early start in the morning."

"Right." Frodo crawled into the pallet of blankets that Sam had laid out for him while Tori moved behind the trees to change into her nightclothes.

Sam had just crawled into his bed when Tori emerged from behind the tree in her nightclothes. She tucked her kimono into her pack before climbing into her sleeping bag. "Goodnight, Frodo, Samwise."

"Goodnight, Lady Tori." Sam snuggled under his blankets trying to get comfortable.

"Goodnight, Lady Tori." Frodo's voice sounded as if he were already halfway asleep.

Sam tossed and turned. "There's no hope for it, Mr. Frodo. Everywhere I lay there's a great dirty root poking me."

"Just pretend that you're at home in your bed with a warm cover and fluffy pillows." Frodo drifted off to sleep as Sam continued to toss and turn.

-----

Tori and Sam were walking at the back of the group with Kirara, who was again wearing all the packs. They were walking through the fields of Farmer Maggot's farm while Rin and Shippo were ahead with Frodo. Tori stopped when she realized that Frodo and the children weren't where she could see them. "Frodo? Rin? Shippo?"

Sam seemed to pick up on Tori's distress. "Mr. Frodo? Where are you?"

Tori and Sam looked at each other and hurried through the corn field until Frodo and the children stepped back onto the path. Tori held a hand to her heart and took several deep breaths while Sam breathed a sigh of relief.

"What's wrong?" Frodo looked from Tori to Sam.

"We thought we lost you and the children, Mr. Frodo." Sam's eyes skimmed over Frodo, making sure that he was okay.

"What could happen to me? We're in the Shire." Frodo fell over as two Hobbits ran into him.

Tori hauled the two offenders off of Frodo when she noticed who they were. She shook her head as she flung them to the side. "Merry and Pippin. I should have known that it was you two. Kami knows that you're the worst troublemakers."

Sam picked up several heads of cabbages from the ground and glared at Merry and Pippin. "You've been in Farmer…"

"Maggot's crops again. Honestly, you'd think we hadn't done it before." Merry took the cabbages from Sam while Pippin picked up some carrots from the ground.

"Hey! Come back here!" Farmer Maggot's voice was slowly growing louder.

Tori grabbed Rin and Shippo by the collars of their shirts and tossed them onto Kirara's back. "Get them out of here, Kirara." She then grabbed Frodo's had and followed after Merry and Pippin while Sam looked down at the vegetables in his hands. "Come on, Samwise! We've got to get out of here."

Merry and Pippin led them through the woods surrounding Farmer Maggot's farm. Merry stopped suddenly when he came upon a cliff. Pippin slammed into his back while Tori and Frodo skidded to a stop a moment later. Sam was looking behind himself when he slammed into Frodo and Tori and sent the whole group over the cliff. Tori screamed as she tried to grab a root or anything to stop herself from landing on the hard ground rushing toward her. She needn't have worried. Kirara flew under Tori and Frodo and caught them while Sam, Merry, and Pippin landed in a pile on the road below. Kirara landed and Tori lifted Frodo from her back while Rin and Shippo scrambled to the ground.

"I think I broke something." Merry started to shove Pippin off of him when he pulled out one of the carrots which had snapped in half.

"What did you stop for?" Sam shoved at Merry and Pippin.

"It was a shortcut." Pippin tried not to cower under Sam's glare.

"A shortcut to what?" Sam started to brush himself off.

"Mushrooms." Pippin hurried over to the foot of one of the trees with Merry and Sam right behind him.

Tori ignored them as she checked Frodo over for any injuries. "I ought to kill them for this."

Frodo just nodded his head as he looked down the road. A chill passed over him and Tori making her look up. Frodo looked scared as he turned back to Tori. "I think we should get off the road."

"You're right." Tori looked at Kirara who had decided to take the children and fly back up to the cliff. "Keep them safe, Kirara." She looked over at the fighting Hobbits. "Guys, I think we need to get off the road."

A scream sounded from around the bend in the road. Tori grabbed Sam and Merry as Frodo grabbed Pippin and hurried off the road. Tori watched the Hobbits hide under a root by the road. She made her way down the hill and hid behind a tree as a rider in black on a black horse came down the road. She held her breath as the rider dismounted and seemed to sniff the air. _I wonder if that's a demon._ Tori noticed that the rider was gripping the root the Hobbits were hiding under. She knelt down and grabbed a rock and tossed it at the rider. The rock hit him on his chest. The rider looked up and saw Tori there smiling softly. Tori was smirking to herself as the rider came toward her. She pulled out her sword and held it before her.

Tori smiled as the rider slowly got closer to her. "I'd stop right there, pal. That is unless you want to get hurt." The rider took a step closer. "Don't say I didn't warn you. _Blades of Fire_!!" Several blades of fire flew from the downswing of her sword and hit the rider. It screamed before running back to its horse and riding back the way it had come. Tori sheathed her sword and hurried to the Hobbits. "Let's move people. Kirara, head toward the river. We'll meet you there."

Merry and Pippin led Sam, Tori, and Frodo through the woods. They stopped often as they heard the black rider scream and others answered him. Tori kept her sword sheathed but her hand never left the hilt. She knew that the rider had friends but she didn't know where they were at. Night had fallen when the group stopped for a quick snack.

"That rider was looking for something or someone." Merry looked at Frodo who was holding the pocket that held the ring.

"Frodo, Sam, and I need to get to Bree." Tori knew that it would be difficult to tell Merry and Pippin the real reason until they were safe from the riders.

"We have to cross the Brandywine River." Sam was still panting even though they had stopped over half an hour earlier.

"Buckleberry Ferry." Merry grabbed Tori's hand and hauled her through the forest with Pippin, Sam and Frodo following them.

The black rider was following them but they managed to avoid it. Well, all of them except Frodo. He was running in circles trying to get past the rider's horse. Tori pulled out her sword and aimed it at the rider. "Hello, dumb ass. Remember me? Or do you remember this?_ Blades of Fire_!"

Frodo managed to get around the horse as the riser screamed in fear of the fire coming toward him. He and Tori ran toward the ferry that Sam, Merry, and Pippin were just pushing away from shore. Tori could see Kirara and the children standing on the other side of the river as she and Frodo jumped onto the ferry. Tori relaxed as she watched the riders ride along the bank of the river and out of sight.

"How far to the nearest bridge?" Sam was also watching the riders.

"Brandywine Bridge. Twenty miles." Merry went back to guiding the ferry across the river.

-----

Rain poured down as Tori stood hidden by the trees surrounding the village of Bree. She, the children, Kirara, and the Hobbits had traveled day and night to reach the safe haven of the village. They didn't know where the black riders were but she wasn't anxious to find out. She looked down at the soaked Hobbits and children. Kirara was curled up inside her kimono and was as soaked as the rest of them. Tori nodded slightly. "The coast is clear. Let's go."

They hurried through the rain to the closed gate of Bree. Frodo knocked on it and a small square level with Tori's face opened to reveal a withered old man. "My lady."

"My friends and I wish to stay at the Prancing Pony." Tori watched the man close the small door. She heard the locks being removed from the main door.

"Sorry about that, my lady. It's me job to ask questions after dark. Talk of strange folks out and about lately." The old man ushered them into the courtyard beyond the door.

They drifted down the street and avoided the few people who dared to be out in the rain. A sign of a pony shifted in the wind. Tori looked down at the travel weary Hobbits and children and smiled. "The Inn of the Prancing Pony. Come on. Let's go get warm." She opened the door and disappeared into the warm, and dry, Inn.


	5. Chapter 4: At The Prancing Pony

_**Author's Notes: I don't own anyone from Lord of the Rings. If I did Frodo wouldn't have gone on to the Grey Havens. Legolas would be teaching me how to use a bow and arrow. Aragorn and Arwen would have been married long before the Ring was found. I don't own any of the Inu-Yasha characters. If I did, Sesshomaru would be joining Legolas in teaching me how to use a sword. Enjoy.**_

_**Recently I got copies of the show and saw that the spelling of Sesshomaru is indeed spelled wrong. Forgive me but I was going by what I saw in the magnas. I did correct the spelling in all the chapters.**_

**

* * *

**

Chapter 4 

**At the Prancing Pony**

Tori shook her kimono slightly as she looked around the Inn. The Hobbits and children had followed her in and were also shaking themselves dry of the rain. Tori made her way through the drunks, and sober people, to the counter.

"Ah, a Lady." Mr. Butterbur leaned over the counter to see Shippo and Rin standing on either side of her. "And your children. We've got plenty of rooms for families."

"We're also going to need a room for some Hobbits." Tori motioned to the four Hobbits trying to avoid some of the drunks.

"But of course." Mr. Butterbur watched Frodo for a moment. "We've got some nice Hobbit-sized rooms, Mr. …"

"Underhill. Mr. Underhill." Frodo looked a little afraid of Mr. Butterbur. "We're looking for Gandalf the Grey."

"Gandalf? Gandalf? Old man with a beard?" Mr. Butterbur looked at the nods he was getting from Tori, the children, and the Hobbits.

"Have you seen him?" Tori looked around the room quickly.

"Nay. I've not seen him in more than six months." Mr. Butterbur didn't see the looks passing between Tori and Frodo since he was too busy rummaging in a drawer for two sets of keys.

Tori nibbled her bottom lip before placing several gold coins on the counter. "Our keys if you don't mind."

"Of course." Butterbur pushed the keys across the counter.

Tori scooped up the keys and led the way to the stairs. She handed one set to Frodo. "Take your room key. I'm going to put the children to bed." Tori grabbed Rin and Shippo's hands and led them up the stairs.

A strange man was coming down the hall toward them. He stopped for a moment before bowing gracefully to Tori, Shippo, and Rin. Tori dropped a quick curtsy and watched the man disappear down the stairs. Shippo and Rin were curious but kept it to themselves as Tori hurried them to the room. Tori unlocked the door and ushered the children into the room.

Shippo hopped up onto one of the two beds in the room. "What are we going to do, Tori? We can't stay here forever."

"I know, Shippo. I'm going to have to talk with Frodo and find out what he wants to do." Tori dropped onto the edge of the bed and buried her face into her hands. "The two of you will be safe. I'm going to leave Kirara with you."

"But don't you…" Rin wrapped her arms around her mother.

"No. She'll stay here with you." Tori smiled at Shippo and Rin. "Dry clothes and then to bed."

"Yes, ma'am." Shippo and Rin scrambled from the bed and hurried to get out dry clothes.

Tori rummaged in her bag and pulled out a dry kimono. Sesshomaru had made her get several kimonos so that she always had a change of clothes with her. She moved behind the screen set across one corner of the room and changed. She shook her head as she draped the wet silk over the screen to dry. She moved from behind the screen to find Shippo and Rin in bed with Kirara lying on the covers between them.

"I want the two of you to rest. I'll be back in a while." Tori moved toward the door and firmly closed it behind her. She slowly made her way down the stairs and into the common room of the Inn.

Frodo had ordered her half a pint of ale and he, Sam, and Pippin were waiting for her when Merry came back to the table with a pint of ale. Tori shook her head as Pippin ran off to get one for himself. Tori sipped on the ale as she listened to the conversations around her.

"We'd made it home and had to attend several weddings." The voice sounded familiar to Tori.

She didn't see Pippin moving over to listen to the strange man. "Then what happened?"

"Tori and Sesshomaru got married the day we got back. About a week later I mated with Ayame and Kagome and dog turd were wed." The man leaned back in his chair, balancing it on two legs. His tanned skin shone under the candlelight. His black hair was pulled back into a ponytail. "It's hard to believe that all that took place barely a week after we returned from Naboo."

"Did you say Tori and Naboo?" Pippin bounced on his feet slightly.

The man leaned forward and thumped the two legs on the floor. "Sure did, kid. Do you know her?"

"Do I know her? Lady Tori is a great storyteller. In fact, she's over there." Pippin pointed at the table where Tori was sitting with Merry, Sam, and Frodo.

The man jumped to his feet and followed Pippin to the table. "Tori? Is that you?"

Tori looked up and squealed. "Koga! Have you been here the whole time?" She flung herself into his arms.

"Sure have. Where have you been? Did you see any of the others?" Koga sat down after Tori sank back into her seat.

"I've been in the Shire. Rin, Shippo, and Kirara were with me." Tori pushed her ale toward Koga. "They're in our room."

"So you haven't seen any of the others?"

"Nope." Tori laid a hand on Koga's arm. "We'll find them. Believe me, we will find them."

Koga climbed to his feet. "Come on. I want to hear about everything that's happened to you and why you're here."

Tori climbed to her feet and looked at Frodo. "Maybe you guys should come too. I mean most of the story is yours, Frodo."

"Okay." Frodo climbed to his feet and followed after Tori with Sam, Merry, and Pippin right behind him.

Tori flopped down in one of the two chairs in her room as Koga took the other. The Hobbits lined up on Tori's bed. Koga noticed that Kirara was curled up at the foot of the bed containing Rin and Shippo. Koga watched Tori for a moment.

"So where've you been?" Koga leaned backing the chair.

"The Shire. That's where we landed. It was the day of Bilbo Baggins birthday…" Tori began the tale of how they had met Frodo and the other Hobbits. She told him of everything they had done in the Shire and why they were now in Bree. "…But Butterbur hasn't seen Gandalf in six months and he promised to be here."

Koga thought for a minute. "Do you still have the other half of the necklace?"

Tori pulled a matching necklace from her neck. This dragon was gold and wrapped around a white pearl. "Here. What are you going to do?"

"Do you remember what Sesshomaru told us? If you give one half of this necklace to a person, you would be able to see where they were and what kind of condition they were in." Koga took the necklace in his right hand. "Reveal your location." Nothing happened. "Damn. I forgot. Only you can do it, Tor."

"The next time I see Sirius, I'm going to hurt him for coming up with that name." Tori took the necklace back from Koga and held it so that it dangled before her eyes. "Reveal your location." Tori gasped as she watched the pearl. She could see a tower and Gandalf. She also saw Gandalf fighting another man. This man reeked of evil and Tori was terrified that Gandalf might be dead. She continued to watch and saw that Gandalf was indeed still alive. She breathed a sigh of relief as the pearl returned to its iridescent color. She knew that she couldn't tell Frodo that Gandalf had been in a fight so she smiled brightly. "Gandalf's fine. It seems that he's been delayed for a while. We're just going to have to…Ouch!" The dragon charm had sunk its teeth into Tori's hand. Tori looked at the pearl for a minute. 'Go to Rivendell' was scrolling across it. "Go to Rivendell. We're going to need a guide."

"We don't have the gold for a guide." Sam ran a hand through his hair.

Tori shrugged. "Maybe we can get someone with a good heart to help us." She climbed to her feet. "Go on out with the lot of you. Koga and I have to discuss some things." She ushered the Hobbits out of the room and closed the door behind them. She turned to Koga after she heard the footsteps fading down the stairs. "Gandalf's in trouble, Koga."

"What did you see?" Koga waited until Tori was seated before the roaring fire again. "Where's your friend?"

"He was attacked, Koga. He was attacked by the very man that he went to ask guidance from. What are we going to do?" Tori couldn't hold back the tears starting to stream down her cheeks.

"We'll do what you said earlier. We'll get a guide and head to Rivendell. There is a Ranger downstairs that might help. I believe he knows that the elves live…" Koga jumped to his feet as the door slammed open.

Tori jumped up when she saw the worried faces of Sam, Merry, and Pippin. "What happened?"

"We were walking downstairs when Pippin bumped Frodo. The Ring…It slid onto his finger and he disappeared." Sam was shaking badly as Tori turned to Koga.

"Not good. Not good." Tori looked down at Sam. "Then what happened?"

"When Frodo reappeared, a man grabbed him and disappeared up here." Sam tightened his grip on the skillet in his hand. "We've got to help Mr. Frodo."

"And we will." Tori looked over her shoulder at Koga. "Let's go."

-----

Twenty minutes earlier

Frodo sent one last look at the door to Tori's room before making his way down the stairs. He pulled the Ring from his pocket and spun it slightly in his hands. He never felt Pippin run into his back or heard Sam yelling at him not to fall. He only saw the Ring falling toward the floor. He dove toward it and watched fascinated as the Ring seemed to spin around his finger before settling on his finger. He vanished from sight but he could still see everyone around him. He quickly moved among the people and hid under the bar before pulling the Ring off his finger. Suddenly he was grabbed and hauled to his feet.

"You draw too much attention to yourself, Mr. 'Underhill'." The man who had bowed to Tori in the hallway when they first arrived carried Frodo up the stairs and into one of the rooms.

The Ranger rolled his eyes as he closed the door and proceeded to douse the candles with his fingertips. "I can hide so that no one can see me but to disappear completely is truly an amazing feat."

"What do you want with me?" Frodo was scared. He didn't know where his friends were or even where he was.

"A little more caution from you. That is no mere trinket you carry." The Ranger glared at Frodo.

"I carry nothing." Frodo had managed to shove the Ring deeper into one of his pockets.

The Ranger smirked slightly as he approached Frodo. "Really? Gandalf said that you would be stubborn but this is foolish."

"G-G-Gandalf?" Frodo jumped as the door smashed in. He smiled when he saw Tori and her friend standing before Sam, Merry, and Pippin. The Ranger had drawn his sword as the door had been smashed.

"Let him go, Ranger." Tori's sword was held at her side but she knew that she could defend herself in an instant.

"My Lady." The Ranger sheathed his sword and bowed to Tori. "Gandalf did not exaggerate your beauty or your temper."

Tori scoffed slightly but slid her sword back in its sheath. "Since you know Gandalf, you also know why we are waiting for him here."

"Yes. He told me that if he were not here when you arrived that I was to take you on to Rivendell." The Ranger moved toward one of the windows. "I would suggest that you gather your things and the children and return to my room. We must find somewhere else to spend the night."

"The Black Riders." Tori had barely spoken but could see that the Ranger had heard her. She whirled around to face Koga, Sam, Merry, and Pippin. "Go to your rooms and gather everything you can find. Koga, I want you to go and get the kids and Kirara. Bring them back here. I'm going with the Hobbits to take care of something."

"Right." Koga raced up the stairs while the Hobbits hurried to their room with Tori on their heels.

Tori grabbed several pillows and shoved them under the covers as the Hobbits gathered their things. She knew that the Ranger would keep Frodo safe no matter what happened. She grabbed a rug from the floor and proceeded to cut it into four mats that could be passed for hair, if you were a blind man. Sam, Merry, and Pippin slung their packs over their shoulders and hurried back to the Ranger's room. Tori closed the door behind her and noticed that Koga was talking with the Ranger. _Damn it all to hell. I still don't know his name._ Rin and Shippo were standing next to the pile of packs that Koga had brought from their rooms.

The Ranger looked Tori over. He knew that her kimono wouldn't be the best thing to travel in so he knelt to rummage in his pack. He withdrew a pair of leggings, a belt, and a tunic that had been given to him by the elves. "I suggest that you change, my lady. Your…"

"Kimono." Tori nodded slightly as she took the clothes from the Ranger. "Thank you,… I'm sorry but I still don't know your name."

"They call me Strider." Strider watched Tori disappear behind the screen in the corner. He busied himself with the packs as Tori tossed her kimono over the edge of the screen. "Stuff that in my pack, Strider."

Strider picked up the silk kimono and folded it before stuffing it in Tori's pack. "We must hurry, my lady." Strider looked up from the packs as Tori stepped from around the screen.

Tori looked around the room. Strider and Koga both stood stock still with their mouths hanging open. Tori half turned to look in a mirror and saw herself. The tunic was a bit loose but Tori had fixed that with a belt that Strider had also given her. With the leggings covering her legs and the belt around her waist, Tori thought she looked a bit like herself when she used to dress up for dates or to piss off her boss. She noticed out of the corner of her eye that Koga had grabbed a cloak and was trying to drape it over her.

"Knock it off, wolf boy." Tori tossed the cloak back to Koga. "I'm not covering up."

Koga shoved the cloak into the bag. "Sesshomaru's going to kill me."

Strider grabbed three of the packs while Sam, Frodo, Merry, and Pippin grabbed each of their packs. Koga swung two packs onto his back. Tori finished tying her sword to the belt and headed for the door. Rin and Shippo were right behind her. Kirara jumped up onto Tori's shoulder while Strider pulled open the door. They snuck out the door and down that back stairs. Butterbur never knew that they had left.

-----

Tori covered Rin and Shippo with her blanket. Frodo was seated beside Strider who was looking out the window of the hayloft. Strider had decided that they should stay in the barn the farthest from the Prancing Pony Inn. Tori decided to settle in the hay near the window to watch what was happening. She snuggled down into the hay while Strider watched her. Suddenly they heard the screams of the Black Riders. Tori leaned forward and watched as the Riders entered the Prancing Pony. Tori grinned as she looked over her shoulder at Strider and Frodo.

"Do you think they realized that those were decoys yet?" Tori turned back to the window, effectively giving all the man, demon, and Hobbits a view like no other. She was wiggling slightly which made Koga growl softly. "What, Koga?"

"Would you please cover yourself?" Koga tossed a blanket toward Tori just as a scream from the Black Riders echoed through the village.

Strider pulled Tori from the window. "They discovered the decoys."

Tori shrugged slightly. "If only I had been there with my sword…"

"What does that sword do?" Strider noticed Tori settling her sword beside her.

"This? Sesshomaru had it forged for me by Totosai. One of its attacks is Blades of Fire." Tori patted her sword.

"I have never heard of a sword that does something like that." Strider's hand strayed to the handle of his own sword.

Tori nodded slightly. "What can you tell us about the Black Riders?"

"They were once great kings of men. At least they were until Sauron the Deceiver gave them nine rings of power." Strider gazed out the window.

"They were the nine for the kings of men?" Frodo snuggled into the hay next to Tori.

Strider nodded. "Yes. Now they are the Nazgul, or Ring Wraiths."

"So basically there is no way to destroy them, is there?" Koga looked hopeful.

"I have yet to find a way to kill them." Strider settled back into the hay. "I suggest you all get some rest. We will be leaving at dawn."

"Of course." Tori absentmindedly pulled a blanket over Frodo before turning to make sure Sam, Merry, and Pippin were all covered as well. "Good night, Strider."

"Good night, my lady." Strider turned back to the window to watch for the Nazgul and the approaching dawn while the others slept.


	6. Chapter 5: Weathertop & Nazgul

_**Author's Notes: I don't own anyone from Lord of the Rings. If I did Frodo wouldn't have gone on to the Grey Havens. Legolas would be teaching me how to use a bow and arrow. Aragorn and Arwen would have been married long before the Ring was found. I don't own any of the Inu-Yasha characters. If I did, Sesshomaru would be joining Legolas in teaching me how to use a sword. Enjoy.**_

_**Recently I got copies of the show and saw that the spelling of Sesshomaru is indeed spelled wrong. Forgive me but I was going by what I saw in the magnas. I did correct the spelling in all the chapters.**_

**

* * *

**

Chapter 5 

**Weathertop & Nazgul**

Tori had just finished shoving everything that they had unpacked the night before into her pack when Strider returned with a pony that he had bought from one of the men in Bree. She watched as he loaded most of the packs onto the pony before handing several of the smaller packs to the Hobbits and Koga. Tori started to lift her pack but Koga beat her to it. The sun had yet to rise over the village as Strider ushered everyone out of the village.

Strider knew that the strangers that were with him had a story to tell but he wasn't sure how to get them to tell him what he wanted to know. He could feel Tori's tension about him but she was starting to relax. By mid-morning they would be at the Midgewater Marshes and the Hobbits and the children would be complaining about the tiny insects.

"Where will we be by noon, Strider?" Tori was keeping up with him at the front of the column of travelers.

"We'll be in the Midgewater Marshes. I'm going to warn you now; those insects are tiny and will try to eat you alive." Strider noticed Tori's shrug and smile.

"I've got something for them that they won't like."

"What would that be?" Strider was interested in anything to keep those bothers out of his clothes.

"You'll see." Tori smiled as she dropped back to walk with Koga for a few hours.

-----

Koga slapped at the tiny insects that had started biting him as soon as they had stepped into the waters of the Marshes. "What the hell do these things eat when they can't find wolf?"

"Or Hobbit?" Pippin smacked at the midges that were swarming around his face.

Merry noticed that Tori, Strider, Frodo, Sam, Rin, and Shippo weren't slapping at the midges. "Why aren't you guys slapping at these things?"

"Because I have bug spray." Tori pulled a can from her pack that she had confiscated from Koga.

"And you didn't think to offer us any?" Koga glared at the Lady of the Western Lands. "Gimme that can."

"Not until you ask nicely." Tori bounced away from Koga as he tried to take the can from her.

"I said gimme that can!" Koga chased after Tori as she ran past Strider and Frodo.

"And I said not until you ask nicely." Tori managed to stay out of Koga's reach but tossed the can to Strider. "Catch!"

Strider caught the can as Rin squealed. "Keep away from Uncle Koga!"

"Keep away?" Strider looked down at Shippo who had grabbed the can from him and tossed it to Frodo.

"It's a game where you keep an item away from a person, in this case Uncle Koga." Shippo caught the flying can and ducked around Koga before tossing it to Tori.

Koga jumped around as Tori caught the can and tossed it to Frodo. "You're going to have to be faster than that if you want the bug spray."

Koga jumped as Tori threw the can to Strider. He caught it and landed in a crouch. "Got it. Come here, runts."

"Be careful not to spray it into their eyes, Koga." Tori giggled as she turned to follow Strider further into the Midgewater Marshes.

Koga shoved the can into his pack and sighed in relief, as the midges seemed to take the hint that he wasn't dinner anymore. Strider slid down a small embankment and turned to help Tori down the slippery slope. Rin squealed as she and Shippo slid down the slope behind them.

"Be careful, children. You never know where the roots may be sticking up from the ground." Sam was picking his way through the mud.

Tori shook her head slightly as she scrambled over on of the many fallen logs littering the swamps. "Strider?"

"Yes, Lady Tori?" Strider barely turned as he heard Tori tugging on the tunic.

"Please call me Tori." Tori lengthened her strides to match Strider's. "How long until we reach Rivendell?"

"If we keep our pace, a week." Strider heard her soft groan. "Once we reach Rivendell, you will be able to rest for a while." He watched her snap a small twig from one of the branches they passed. "Tell me about yourself and the others."

"It's complicated."

"So Gandalf told me."

"Well, I…we…" Tori grinned. "I guess I should start at the beginning."

"That is often a good place to start."

"I was taken from my home in the year 2000 by a bunch of droids."

"Droids?"

"Trust me. You'll get an explanation before too long." Tori took a deep breath and jumped into the tale of how she had met Koga, her mate, her daughter, and all the rest.

Strider knew that he should keep quiet but questions like 'Then what happened?' and 'You survived after saying that?' kept popping out. It took Tori threatening to hurt him for him to only ask important questions.

-----

That evening, Koga and Strider went hunting and returned with a gutted and skinned buck. Strider was also carrying three rabbits and the skins from all the animals. "I thought you'd want them to make something for Rin and yourself," was his explanation when Tori asked him about the skins. Tori watched him stretch the skins while she started their meager meal of venison, rabbit, and of course, Ramen Noodles. Shippo had started the fire while Strider and Koga had gone hunting and Rin and Frodo had gathered the water they would need for the night. Strider had noticed that Tori avoided the fresh meat like a plague so he cut the chunks and put it on spits for the fire. Shippo took the hint and put the spits over the fire. Tori was rummaging through her pack before getting frustrated and going through Rin and Shippo's as well.

Koga handed three packets to Tori. "Is this what you've been looking for?"

"Did Kagome make sure that everyone had some of these?" Tori took the packages and looked into her pot of water.

"Apparently." Koga shrugged slightly as he moved to his makeshift bed. "I just thought you and Rin might like to eat that instead of the fresh meat."

"I like fresh meat, but Sesshomaru was smart enough not to bring it within a hundred feet of me at certain times of the month." Tori smirked slightly as Koga shuddered. "How do you think Ayame is doing with your new pup?"

"She's most likely doing fine." Koga dropped onto the log that Sam, Merry, and Pippin had wrestled over for her to sit on.

Tori's laughter filled the clearing. "You're still pissed because Inu-Yasha got Kagome and you didn't."

Koga huffed once more before leaning forward to look in the pot that would contain the noodles. "Isn't the water hot enough yet?"

"No, Koga. You'll just have to wait until it's ready, wolf boy." Tori hit the back of his hand with the wooden spoon she held.

Koga rubbed his head as Tori ripped open the packages and dropped them into the boiling water. Shippo continued to turn the chunks of meat on the spits over the fire. Strider leaned over the pot and watched the hard noodles soften and spread through the water.

"What is that stuff?" Strider looked up at Tori, who was sticking a fork into the meat to make sure it was done.

"You'll see." Tori pushed him away from the fire. "Why you take the kids and get them cleaned up?"

"Aye, milady…Tori." Strider grabbed Rin's hand and ushered Shippo in front of him.

Tori shook her head as she stirred the noodles one last time. "Koga, could you get the pot off the fire for me?"

"Sure." Koga lifted the heavy pot from the fire and sat it beside the fire pit while Frodo laid out the plates for the group.

Tori had cut several pieces of raw meat for Kirara and placed it downwind from the rest of the group. Sam was lifting the spits of meat off the fire when Strider returned with Rin and Shippo. Rin hurried over and slid the pieces of venison and rabbit from the spits while Tori ladled up some noodles onto each of the plates. She passed each plate to each of her companions. Strider rose to take his plate but she waved him down. Tori carefully carried his plate, and her own, to the log and sat down. Strider took the plate and started at the noodles nestled at the bottom of his plate with the venison and rabbit chunks placed around it.

Tori laughed as Strider poked the noodles slightly. "They won't bite. That is unless you want them to."

Strider shook his head slightly. "You have done this before."

"Yes. I usually end up cooking with Kagome, Sango, and Ayame. Rin and Shippo like to help us. Sesshomaru, Koga, and Inu-Yasha do the hunting while Miroku stays with us 'ladies' and makes sure we have enough firewood." Tori stirred her noodles slightly before putting her bowl down. "I wonder what they're doing now."

"I'm sure they are safe and are hoping that you, the children, and Koga are safe as well." Strider spooned some of the noodles into his mouth and sighed softly as the spiced exploded on his tongue. "This is good."

"That was Inu-Yasha's first reaction when Kagome introduced him to it. In fact he hardly eats anything else that she gives him." Tori started to rummage through her bag and pulled out her CD player, CDs, and the portable speakers. "Can I play this or should I use the headphones?"

"Headphones?"

"It'll keep the music quiet while I listen to it." Tori pulled out the headphones.

Strider just nodded as he rose to refill his plate. "I would suggest you use the 'headphones' then."

"I guess I'll just wait until I can play it loud without worrying about alerting anyone." Tori shoved the items back into her pack before hauling out her sleeping bag. "Sam's on cleanup duty so I'm going to get ready for bed."

Sam had already started to gather the dirty plates and utensils and was using the hot water that Tori had set off to the side for the purpose of washing the dishes. Rin had pulled out her sleeping bag as had Shippo and they were setting them up close to Tori. Strider watched the others start to get ready to for bed as well.

Strider stretched slightly. "I'll take the first watch."

"Wake me around midnight and I'll take the second watch." Koga stretched out in front of the fire while the Hobbits laid out their beds on the other side of the fire.

Tori woke up to a soft song being sung. She barely kept herself from jumping when she heard Frodo speak. "Who is she?"

Strider took a puff on his pipe. "She was an elf that fell in love with a mortal man."

"The song is beautiful." Tori straightened her covers slightly. "Please finish singing it."

Strider nodded as he turned to back to the fire. "I will sing it to you in the common tongue."

_The leaves were long, the grass was green,_

_The hemlock-umbels tall and fair,_

_And in the glade a light was seen_

_Of stars in shadow shimmering_

_Tinuviel was dancing there_

_To music of a pipe unseen,_

_And the light of stars was in her hair,_

_And in her raiment glimmering._

_There Beren came from mountains cold,_

_And lost he wandered under leaves,_

_And where the Eleven-river rolled_

_He walked alone and sorrowing._

_He peered between the hemlock-leaves_

_And saw in wonder flowers of gold_

_Upon her mantle and her sleeves,_

_And her hair like shadow following._

_Enchantment healed his weary feet_

_That over hills were doomed to roam;_

_And forth he hastened, strong and fleet,_

_And grasped at moonbeams glistening._

_Through woven woods in Elvenhome_

_She lightly fled on dancing feet,_

_And left him lonely still to roam_

_In the silent listening._

_He heard there of a flying sound_

_Of feet as light as linden-leaves,_

_Or music welling underground,_

_In hidden hollows quavering._

_Now withered lay the hemlock-sheaves,_

_And one by one with sighing sound_

_Whispering fell the beechen leaves_

_In the wintry woodland wavering._

_He sought her ever, wandering far_

_Where leaves of years were thickly strewn,_

_By light of moon and ray of star_

_In frosty heavens shivering._

_Her mantle glittered in the moon,_

_As on a hilltop high and far_

_She danced, and at her feet were strewn_

_A mist of silver quivering._

_When winter passed, she came again,_

_And her song released the sudden spring,_

_Like rising lark, and falling rain,_

_Melting water bubbling._

_He saw the Elven-flowers spring_

_About her feet , and healed again_

_He longed by her to dance and sing_

_Upon the grass untroubling._

_Again she fled, but swift he came._

_Tinuviel! Tinuviel!_

_He called by her elvish name;_

_And there she halted listening._

_One moment she stood, and a spell_

_His voice laid on her; Beren came,_

_And doom fell on Tinuviel_

_That in his arms lay glistening._

_As Beren looked into her eyes_

_Within the shadows of her hair,_

_The trembling starlight of the skies_

_He saw the mirrored shimmering._

_Tinuviel the elven-fair,_

_Immortal maiden elven-wise,_

_About him cast her shadowy hair_

_And arms like silver glimmering._

_Long was the way that fate them bore,_

_O'er stony mountains cold and grey,_

_Through hall of iron and darkling door,_

_And of nightshade morrowless._

_The Sundering Seas between them lay,_

_And yet at last they met once more,_

_And long ago they passed away_

_In the forest singing sorrowless._

Tori shifted in her sleeping bag slightly as she had fallen asleep. Strider sighed softly as he looked over at the now sleeping Frodo. _Tomorrow we will reach Weathertop._

-----

A crumbling tower came into view as the weary group left the marshes and the midges behind. Tori gave Strider a soft smile before following him. Koga was right behind her with Rin clinging to his back and Shippo perched on his shoulder. Kirara had volunteered to take the packs that morning so that they would be able to walk unhindered. Finally they reached the tower.

"What is this place, Strider?" Frodo dropped to the ground.

"This is Weathertop. It once was a great tower but now it is naught but ruins." Strider took four short swords from his pack, which was strapped to Kirara, and tossed them to the ground beside the Hobbits. "You might need these." He turned to look at Tori. "Lady Tori, if you'll come with me."

"Right." Tori turned to Koga. "Keep them safe, Koga, or Sesshomaru will have your guts for garters."

Koga shuddered slightly. "Scary thought."

Tori accepted Strider's hand as he helped her up the side of the tower. "What are we looking for?"

"Any sign that Gandalf has been here." Strider kicked over some rocks. "Nothing."

"I might be able to help." Tori lifted the dragon necklace to her eye level. "Reveal your location."

Strider watched in amazement as a picture of Gandalf appeared in the small pearl. "Where is he?"

"For now he's safe." Tori smiled as she watched a giant Eagle take off with the wizard. She dropped the necklace and perched herself on one of the boulders. "Was there a reason why you wanted me to come with you instead of , let's say, Koga?"

"I'm not sure. I feel that you have a way about you. You seem…" Strider turned as a scream filled the night.

"What the hell was that?" Tori watched Strider unsheathe his sword.

"Wraiths."

"The kids!" Tori grabbed the hilt of her sword and unsheathed it as she and Strider ran back to camp.

-----

Night had fallen and Sam decided to make a fire to cook supper. Frodo had fallen asleep as soon as they had stopped. Koga was watching the horizon for anything that could be considered a danger. Frodo awoke to the smell of the campfire and cooking sausages.

"What are you doing?" Frodo jumped to his feet and started kicking dirt over the fire.

"We were hungry." Pippin looked up at his cousin as a scream filled the air.

"Let's move, people." Koga scooped up Rin and hurried the Hobbits and Shippo up to the next level.

Nine figures followed them. Koga pushed everyone behind him. Rin screamed as the Wraiths moved toward him.

"Look out, Koga." Shippo watched as Koga drew his katana, which he never seemed to need before.

"Kirara, protect them." Koga jumped toward the Wraiths and started to fight with one.

The Wraiths screamed as Kirara grew in her flames. Koga flew to the left as the Wraith defeated him. Kirara jumped forward only to be knocked back. Shippo grabbed Rin and pulled her behind one of the many boulders. Sam stepped forward only to be knocked to the right. Merry and Pippin stood in front of Frodo. They too were knocked back into the boulders around them. Frodo had the urge to slide the Ring onto his finger. What he saw was amazing. Instead of nine black shapes he saw nine kings garbed in white. The leader of the Wraiths reached out to take the Ring but Frodo pulled back slightly. The Witch-King, as they learned later he was called, stabbed Frodo in the shoulder with his blade. Frodo's screams echoes through the tower. Suddenly two figures dropped from above.

Tori landed in a crouch. She twisted herself slightly as she rose to her feet. "Hey, morons. Remember me?" She pulled her sword back as the Wraiths screamed at her. "Blades of Fire!"

Strider moved out the way just as three blades whipped past him. "Nice move."

"Thank you." Tori fought with the Wraiths while Strider did the same with his sword and a flaming torch. Together they got eight of the Wraiths to run away. The Ninth thought it was going to be sneaky and try to get past Strider and Tori. Strider flipped the torch toward the Wraith just as Tori swung her sword again. "Blades of Fire."

The Wraith screamed as it ran. It was trying to put the fire out as it ran. Frodo pulled the Ring off and screamed again.

"Frodo." Sam knelt next to Frodo. "Strider! Lady Tori!"

"Frodo." Tori hurried over to Frodo as she sheathed her sword.

Strider picked up the knife that had stabbed Frodo. "He's been stabbed with a Morgul blade. He needs Elvish medicine."

"But we're still six days away from Rivendell." Sam looked worriedly at his friend.

Strider scooped Frodo into his arms and started for the forests. Tori watched Koga and the children gather their belongings. "Then, we're going to have to get there fast." Tori ran after Strider with the rest of the group behind her.


	7. Chapter 6: Flight to Rivendell

_**Author's Notes: I don't own anyone from Lord of the Rings. If I did Frodo wouldn't have gone on to the Grey Havens. Legolas would be teaching me how to use a bow and arrow. Aragorn and Arwen would have been married long before the Ring was found. I don't own any of the Inu-Yasha characters. If I did, Sesshomaru would be joining Legolas in teaching me how to use a sword. Enjoy.**_

_**Recently I got copies of the show and saw that the spelling of Sesshomaru is indeed spelled wrong. Forgive me but I was going by what I saw in the magnas. I did correct the spelling in all the chapters.**_

**

* * *

**

Chapter 6 

**Flight to Rivendell**

Tori's legs burned from her exertion. They had been running for two days already. Strider had told her that they were only a day from Rivendell. Koga seemed like he could go on forever but that was yesterday. He had taken both the children onto his back and now he was as exhausted as the rest of them. Sam panted slightly as Strider laid Frodo down among three statues.

"Mr. Bilbo's trolls." Sam looked up at Strider as he climbed to his full height. "Mr. Frodo, look. It's Mr. Bilbo's trolls."

"The ones from his story?" Rin scrambled from Koga's back while Shippo jumped from his shoulder.

Merry and Pippin nodded their heads vigorously while Sam kept shaking Frodo.

Strider inspected the wound and saw the red lines of infection running from the slash.

Strider pulled Sam away from Frodo. "Sam, do you know the athelas plant?"

"Athelas?" Sam looked confusedly at Strider.

"King's Foil." Strider was getting desperate for help and this little Hobbit might be the help he needed.

"King's Foil? Aye, it's nothing but a weed."

"It might help." Strider watched Sam light a torch and hurry into the forests. He turned to face Tori. "Stay here and protect them."

Tori nodded once before Strider turned and hurried into the woods. "Okay. Koga, you watch the South. Merry, you've got the North. Pippin,…stay with Frodo and Rin. Shippo, you've got the East. I'll take the West."

"Fitting for the Lady of the West to take the West." Koga laughed as he turned to face the North.

"Just shut up, Koga." Tori stuck her tongue out at him before turning to face the West.

-----

Strider and Sam raced among the trees trying to trying to find the athelas plant. Strider knelt when he found some and was cutting some with his dagger when a sword was placed against his throat.

"What's this? A Ranger taken by surprise?" A feminine voice floated out of the darkness.

Strider turned just enough so that he could see the speaker. She was tall but not taller than him. Her dark hair flowed to her waist like a cape. "Arwen."

"I've been looking for you…"

"Not here." Strider watched Arwen mount her horse.

"Take me to your camp."

Strider ran toward the camp with Arwen riding on her horse behind him. Tori had to grab Koga and keep him from attacking the she-elf that rode into camp. Strider had also appeared with Sam right behind him. Strider was kneeling next to Frodo with Arwen on the other side of the injured Hobbit.

"Who is she?" Rin was watching the beautiful Arwen.

"She's an elf, Rin." Sam laid a hand on Rin's shoulder. "Now let's hear what's happening."

Arwen was leaning over Frodo. "_Come back to us, Frodo._" She looked up at Strider. "He needs my father's medicine."

Strider had just chewed a bit of the athelas plant and was now placing the chewed plant onto the wound. Tori leaned over slightly. "Will that help?"

"It will keep him until we get him to Rivendell." Strider climbed to his feet.

"I've been looking for you for two days. There are five Wraiths behind me where the other four are I do not know." Arwen helped Strider put Frodo onto the saddle of her horse.

"_Stay with Lady Tori and the others. I will send help back to you._" Strider spoke so softly that even if Frodo had been awake he would have to strain to hear him.

"_I am the faster rider. You stay with the lady._" Arwen mounted behind Frodo.

Tori noticed that they weren't speaking in 'the common tongue' and stepped forward. "You know it is kinda rude to talk where others can't understand you."

"Lady Tori…" Strider turned to look at Tori.

"I told you when I met you not to call me that and I have a plan." Tori crossed her arms and glared at Strider.

"What is it, milady?" Arwen had seen the anger and concern forming in Tori's eyes.

"How about if Kirara and I take a decoy and try to lead the Wraiths away from you long enough for you to get away?" Tori looked up at Arwen.

"It's too dangerous…" Strider looked up at Arwen when she laid a hand on his shoulder.

"It might work." Arwen watched as Tori gathered some of Frodo's clothes and started to stuff them.

Kirara knew what her mistress's friend wanted and with a flame of fire that almost made Arwen fall off her horse, changed into her full demon form. Tori tied the decoy to Kirara's back before climbing on.

Tori looked down at Shippo and Rin. "I want the two of you to be good for Strider and the others. What Strider says goes, okay?"

Rin nodded slightly and blinked rapidly to keep the tears forming in her eyes from falling. "_Hai_."

"I'll take care of Rin." Shippo gave Tori a quick bow.

"I know you will Shippo." Tori nudged Kirara slightly and together they moved forward. "Which way should I go?"

"I will head east toward Rivendell. You should head west." Arwen watched Tori nod once before Kirara started to run back in the direction that they had just come.

-----

Kirara knew that they would need to run along the ground soon but she waited for Tori to tell her so. When Tori squeezed her legs slightly, Kirara descended to the ground and landed right before the group of Wraiths.

Tori gave them a brilliant smile. "Hello, assholes!" She got Kirara to turn around and start running. They could hear the horses behind them. Tori managed to look behind her for a moment and counted six of the nine Wraiths behind them. She leaned close to Kirara's ear. "We need to keep them busy a while longer. Arwen hasn't had time to get to Rivendell yet."

Tori let out a slight scream as Kirara veered to the left to avoid one of the three missing Wraiths appeared in front of them. This Wraith Tori and Kirara recognized. It was the one that had stabbed Frodo. Kirara let out a roar as Tori reached for her sword.

"Give us the Halfling!" The Wraith reached for the decoy and pulled it off Kirara.

Tori's laughter could be heard for miles. "That isn't a Hobbit, dumb ass!"

"The she-elf!" The Wraiths turned toward the east and took off after Arwen.

"Arwen!" Tori clung to Kirara as she took to the sky.

Arwen heard Tori's scream and urged her horse, Asfaloth, faster. She half turned and saw the Wraiths a mile or so behind her. She kicked her heels into Asfaloth again to urge even more speed. She wound her way through the trees with the Wraiths gaining on her and Frodo. Tori had done her job by keeping them busy so she could get Frodo away. A branch swung toward her and left a scratch along her cheek. Thankfully Frodo wasn't hurt in any way. Asfaloth raced toward the river that would help keep them safe. He knew that his mistress would make sure that they were safe once they crossed it. They splashed through the cold waters of the river Bruinen.

"Give us the Halfling, she-elf." The Wraiths' horses were stomping their hooves on the other side of the river.

Arwen drew her sword and glared at the Wraiths. "If you want him, come and get him!" The Wraiths urged their horses out into the waters of Bruinen. Arwen started whispering softly at the river as the Wraiths started to cross. Slowly the chanting grew in volume until the river came crashing down on the Wraiths. Frodo fell from the saddle as the Wraiths were washed away with the river. "Frodo!" Arwen dismounted and gathered the Hobbit into her arms. "What grace Valar has given me let it protect him as well."

-----

Tori and Kirara landed on the western side of the river just as the Wraiths crossed to the middle of the river. Tori turned when she heard the river rushing toward them. "Kirara!" Kirara took to the air and together they watched as the Wraiths were washed away with the river. Kirara landed as Frodo fell from Asfaloth. "Frodo!"

An elf stepped from the forest near them and bowed. "Milady, there is a bridge just there for you to cross."

"Thank you…"

"Glorfindel, milady." Glorfindel bowed to Tori and Kirara. "Your mount must be tired after outrunning nine Wraiths."

Tori dismounted and Kirara returned to her kitten form in a flash of fire. "She is but she's had to travel a long way too." Tori picked up Kirara and hurried to the bridge the Glorfindel had shown to her. Tori ran over the bridge and nearly ran over twin elves standing guard on the other side. "I'm so sorry. I was trying to catch up Arwen and Frodo."

"You know our sister?" One of the elves lowered his sword.

"Of course. She came to us in the forest to aid us." Tori looked a little nervous as an older elf came toward them.

"Let Lady Tori pass, Elladan, Elohir." The older elf waved the twins away.

"Aye, _Ada_." Elladan bowed to Tori before dragging his brother away.

Tori bowed slightly. "How do you know me?"

"I am Lord Elrond and I welcome you to the Last Homely House." Elrond took Tori's free hand in his and bowed over it. "Come. I will show you to the study before I go and aid Frodo."

Tori allowed Elrond to lead her through Rivendell. She saw that everything was open. Instead of small widows like she had seen in the Shire, the windows were entire walls and it seemed like there weren't any doors to close anything off. Elrond continued to lead her through the corridors and finally he opened the doors to one of the studies. He knew who was inside this study and knew that it would make Tori very happy to see the person.

"Is this the study I'm to wait in?" Tori saw all the books lining the walls just beyond the doors,

"Yes. I will send someone to take you to your rooms in a while." Elrond motioned Tori into the room before pulling the door closed.

Tori moved toward the shelves and began to run her fingers along the spines of the books. She didn't notice the other person in the room until Kirara jumped out of her arm and ran over to the concealed person.

Tori turned around and saw Kirara about to jump into the person's arms. "Kirara? What are you doing?"

"I think she wanted to be with me." The concealed person stepped into the light and gave Tori a small smile.

Tori's mouth fell open slightly. "I don't believe it." Tori ran to the person and drew the person into a tight hug.


	8. Chapter 7: Rivendell

_**Author's Notes: I don't own anyone from Lord of the Rings. If I did Frodo wouldn't have gone on to the Grey Havens. Legolas would be teaching me how to use a bow and arrow. Aragorn and Arwen would have been married long before the Ring was found. I don't own any of the Inu-Yasha characters. If I did, Sesshomaru would be joining Legolas in teaching me how to use a sword. Enjoy.**_

_**Recently I got copies of the show and saw that the spelling of Sesshomaru is indeed spelled wrong. Forgive me but I was going by what I saw in the magnas. I did correct the spelling in all the chapters.**_

**

* * *

**

Chapter 7 

**Rivendell**

Tori's mouth fell open slightly. "I don't believe it." Tori ran to the person and drew the person into a tight hug. "So this where you've been, Sango."

"Yes. Lord Elladan found me." Sango dropped into the chair she had been in when Tori and Kirara had come in the door.

-----

_**Sango screamed as she fell from the sky. **_**Kirara, where are you when I need you?**_** She saw a river racing toward her. **_**What did Kagome tell me again? Oh yeah.**_** She crossed her arms and held herself straight a few minutes before hitting the water. She swam toward the surface and took a deep breath of air before starting to swim toward the riverbank. It was too far but she managed to grab a passing log and climb onto it before passing out.**_

_**When next she woke, she saw the riverbank was a little closer so she slid off the log and swam toward it. She used the last of her energy to pull herself out of the river and onto the dry ground. The sun shone down on her still form for several hours before she woke a second time. This time someone was carrying her. She started to struggle slightly.**_

_**"Be still, **_**little****one**_**." The voice was like music to her and it made Sango stop struggling.**_

_**"Who are you?" Sango looked up at the man carrying her. His black hair had two small braids that were pulled back with some of his hair.**_

_**"My name is Elladan. Who are you and why were you lying on the riverbank where any Orc could kill you?" Elladan looked down at the woman in his arms.**_

_**"I'm Sango. I'm not from around here, wherever here is." Sango had looped her arms around Elladan's neck so that she was more comfortable.**_

_**"We are in Rivendell. **_**Ada**_** will wish to meet you and to make sure that you're okay, **_**little one**_**." Elladan shifted Sango slightly in his arms. She tightened her hold. "I do have one other question for you."**_

_**"What is it?"**_

_**"How are you able to carry such a heavy weapon?" Elladan jerked his head back toward her Hiraikotsu. "I could barely lift it."**_

_**Sango giggled slightly. "As I was growing up I was trained to use my Hiraikostu by my father."**_

_**"Oh." Elladan passed his twin which made Sango look over his shoulder at him.**_

_**"Who was that?"**_

_**"Elohir. He is my twin brother." Elladan kicked on a door before using his foot to push it open. "**_**Ada**_**, I've brought someone for you to look over."**_

_**"Lay him over there." The older elf had his back to the door.**_

_**Elladan looked down at Sango before laughing. "I will lay her on the bed, **_**Ada**_**."**_

_**The older elf turned and saw Elladan gently laying Sango onto the bed. "I see you have rescued a woman, Elladan. Did you shoot her with one of your arrows?"**_

_**"No, **_**Ada**_**. I found her passed out on the riverbank." Elladan struggled to lift Hiraikotsu from his back. "I still want to know how one so small can lift something so heavy."**_

_**"Perhaps one day you will find out, Elladan." Sango smirked slightly as Elladan laid Hiraikotsu against one of the walls.**_

_**"Leave us, Elladan." The older elf laid several herbs on the table he had been working at and made his way over to Sango.**_

_**"Aye, **_**Ada**_**." Elladan turned to Sango and lifted her hand to his lips. "Fare thee well, Lady Sango."**_

_**The older elf shook his head as he began to examine Sango. "I am Lord Elrond of Rivendell, Lady Sango."**_

_**"Please just call me Sango. I'm not the lady of anything." Sango watched Elrond go over to the table and begin to mix several herbs together.**_

_**"Of course, Sango." Elrond turned around and handed a cup to Sango. "Drink this. You seem to be fine but you do need your rest and this will help."**_

_**"**_**Hai**_**." Sango took the cup and quickly drank the concoction before handing the cup back to Elrond. "**_**Arigato**_**, Lord Elrond."**_

_**"Rest, my dear." Elrond pulled the blanket up over Sango as she drifted off to sleep. "You are safe here."**_

-----

"So that's what happened." Sango gently petted Kirara. "I've been learning a lot since. Lord Elrond, Arwen, Elladan, and Elohir are always around. They've taught me a lot about elves and their languages."

"I'm glad you've been safe." Tori turned as the door opened and two balls of energy ran in and jumped into her lap.

"Tori!" Shippo hugged Tori tightly as Rin wrapped her arms around Tori's waist.

"_Reidou_!" Rin looked up at Tori. "I missed you."

"I missed you too, Rin." Tori shook her head as she turned to look at Koga standing in the doorway. "I see you survived with the children."

"Do you know how much energy those two have?" Koga leaned against the door frame.

"I know I should, after all I do travel with Shippo." Sango watched Kirara jump from her arms as Shippo launched himself from Tori's arms and into hers.

"Sango!" Shippo buried his face into her neck. "I missed you!"

"I missed you too, Shippo." Sango squeezed him tight before looking at Rin, who was worrying her bottom lip. "And I missed you, Rin." Sango held open her free arm and Rin eagerly gave her a hug. She looked up at Koga. "And where were you hiding all this time, Koga?"

"The village of Bree." Koga's hand slammed against the opposite side of the door and turned to look at Elladan. "Where do think you're going?"

"_Ada_ asked me escort Lady Tori and the children to their chambers. Elohir shall be here momentarily to escort you to yours." Elladan glared at Koga. "Now if you would not mind letting into the study…"

Koga dropped his arm. "Just know that if Lady Tori is hurt in any way you'll have to deal with me."

"Taking your duties as protector a bit far, aren't we?" Tori gracefully rose to her feet as Elladan bowed to her. "You are the one that I must thank for taking of Sango, aren't you?"

"If you are asking if I was the one who found her, then aye." Elladan held out his arm and Tori laid her hand on the crook of his elbow. Elladan led Tori out into the hallway with Shippo and Rin right beside her. "Your children are very adorable."

"Shippo is not my son, though I wish he were. He's my adopted nephew. Rin is my adopted daughter." Tori looked at the carved doors that Elladan had stopped in front of. "Which one of us gets this room?"

"This is the children's chambers. I hope they do not mind sharing." Elladan pushed open the doors before moving to one side so that Shippo and Rin could see the various elven toys and books lining the walls and floor. "These toys and books belong Elohir, Arwen, and me when we were younger. I hope you enjoy them during your stay."

Shippo and Rin hurried into their chambers and saw the beds at opposite sides of the room. "We each get our own bed, too." Rin ran over to her bed and ran a hand over the silken covers. "So soft."

Elladan smiled as he pulled the doors closed without the children noticing. "They are truly a treasure."

"You're telling me." Tori giggled slightly. "I don't know what I'd do without them around to make Jaken's life a living hell."

"Jaken?"

"He's my mate's retainer. More often than not he watches the children while we are in battle with Naraku. They take it upon themselves to make him …look and smell better by covering him with flowers."

Elladan started to laugh as Tori continued to giggle. "That I would like to see."

"Perhaps one day…" Tori noticed Arwen hurrying toward them. "Arwen! I'm glad to see that you're okay."

"Of course, Lady Tori." Elladan continued down the hallway toward the chamber that his father had assigned to Tori. He stopped before another set of beautifully engraved doors. "_Ada_ has made these chambers yours for the duration of your stay, milady."

"_Arigato_, Elladan." Tori pushed open the doors and saw a beautiful sitting room with a large balcony. She saw a door leading off to the bedchamber and a second door that led to the bathing chamber.

"I will have someone bring up hot water for a bath, milady." Elladan bowed as he closed the door.

Tori let out a soft sigh as she began to explore the beautiful room.

-----

Koga sank into the seat that Tori had just vacated. "Are you sure we can trust these elves, Sango?"

"I've been here how many months now and they have been nothing but kind to me." Sango looked up as Elohir stepped into the study. "Elohir, I take it that you are going to take Koga to his chambers."

"Of course, Lady Sango." Elohir gave Sango a brilliant smile. "I trust that your stay have been a happy one." He laughed as Sango waved him and Koga out of the room. "She's a spitfire." Elohir led Koga in the opposite direction that Elladan had taken Tori and the children.

"Why isn't my room near Tori's?" Koga kept glancing behind him as if he were trying to catch Tori's scent.

"_Ada_ was told that Lady Tori has a mate but you are not him." Elohir ignored the growl coming from Koga.

"I promised Sesshomaru on the day he married her that I would protect her. I can hardly protect her if she's on the other side of the house."

"You will not have to protect her, Lord Koga." Elrond stepped from Koga's room. "I have my finest warriors watching over Lady Tori, Lady Sango, and the children. Strider is also nearby so you may relax in your vigil."

"Lord Elrond, it's a matter of honor. If Lord Sesshomaru were to show up and ask me how his mate was fairing, I wouldn't be able to tell him honestly how she was." Koga crossed his arms as he watched the comprehension appear on Elrond's face. "He would cut me up into little pieces and serve me to his dragon."

"I see. However you must see my point of view. Lady Tori is a guest here and no harm will come to her unless the Orcs manage to break through our defenses." Lord Elrond motioned Koga into his room. "Good day to you, Lord Koga."

Elrond moved to a room down the hall and slipped into it. Koga growled once more before turning to look at Elohir. "Did he just say that my honor didn't matter?"

"I believe he did." Elohir Waved Koga into his room. "Someone will come and take you to dinner." Elohir moved back the way he had come.

"Elves." Koga growled slightly as he entered his room and saw the door to the bathing chamber open and a hot bath waiting for him.

-----

Sango rubbed Kirara's head slightly as she walked through the hallways toward her room. She was glad that everyone that had made it to Rivendell was safe. She was still worried about Miroku, Inu-Yasha, Sesshomaru, and Kagome. There was no telling where any of them landed or if they were even safe.


	9. Chapter 8: Council of Elrond

_**Author's Notes: I don't own anyone from Lord of the Rings. If I did Frodo wouldn't have gone on to the Grey Havens. Legolas would be teaching me how to use a bow and arrow. Aragorn and Arwen would have been married long before the Ring was found. I don't own any of the Inu-Yasha characters. If I did, Sesshomaru would be joining Legolas in teaching me how to use a sword. Enjoy.**_

_**Recently I got copies of the show and saw that the spelling of Sesshomaru is indeed spelled wrong. Forgive me but I was going by what I saw in the magnas. I did correct the spelling in all the chapters.**_

**Chapter 8**

**The Council of Elrond**

Tori leaned on the railing of the balcony of her room and watched the sunrise. She really missed her love Sesshomaru and wanted him here with her. Sango was sitting in one of the chaise lounges that Elrond had made sure were on every balcony. Tori perched herself on the edge of the railing.

"When do you think Frodo will wake up?" Tori swept her hand over the silk of the gown that the elves had brought her.

"I don't know. Lord Elrond will let us know." Sango turned to face the door as a knock sounded. "That could be him right now."

Tori shrugged as she slid off the railing and practically ran to the door. She squealed when she saw the person standing on the other side. "Gandalf! You're safe!" She wrapped her arms around his waist and gave him a tight squeeze.

"That I am, Lady Tori. That I am." Gandalf saw the woman slowly climbing from her seat. "I take it that this is either Lady Kagome or Lady Sango." Gandalf extended a hand to Sango. "It is a pleasure to meet you finally."

"So you're Gandalf?" Sango watched him lift her hand to his lips. "Nice to meet you but if you ever put Tori through the kid of worrying that she's done again, I'm going to hurt you big time."

Gandalf laughed as he started out the door. Tori hurried after him with Sango right behind them. They hurried through the corridors to the room where Frodo had been laying for a week now. Gandalf pushed open the door and took the empty seat beside the bed. Elrond barely looked up from the potions he was mixing when they had entered the room. Tori perched herself on the edge of the bed while Sango drifted toward the balcony. They stayed that way for hours.

A moan sounded through the room. "Where am I?" Frodo still hadn't opened his eyes yet but he knew someone was in the room with him.

"The House of Elrond." Gandalf removed his unlit pipe when Frodo whipped around to look at him.

"Gandalf? What happened? Why didn't you meet us?" Frodo struggled to sit up.

"I was…detained, Frodo." Gandalf gave Tori a 'Don't even think about telling him' look.

Tori giggled as Frodo flopped back onto the bed as Elrond approached them. "I have scheduled a council meeting to discuss what is to be done with the Ring."

"So when are we having the council meeting, Lord Elrond?" Tori stretched slightly from her position.

"Most are starting to arrive now." Sango's eyes were glued to the courtyard below.

"The meeting will be in the morning." Elrond looked over at the woman and saw that her eyes had widened and she was starting to squirm. "Perhaps you should join Sango out on the balcony?"

"I think I will." Tori climbed to her feet and hurried to the balcony. She looked down into the courtyard.

A blonde elf regally dismounted from his horse and turned to look around the courtyard as his companion dismounted just as regally. His silver hair swayed with the slight breeze flowing through the courtyard. His golden eyes swept over the buildings and courtyard as two squeals were heard. Tori watched as Rin ran up to the man and hugged his legs.

"Do you think that's Sesshomaru?" Sango turned around only to find the door swinging shut behind Tori. "I guess it is."

Gandalf and Frodo looked worriedly at Elrond who shook his head. Meanwhile Tori tore down the stairs to the courtyard. She stopped at the foot of the stairs and watched Sesshomaru pick Rin up and toss her gently in the air. Suddenly Rin was on the ground and Sesshomaru was looking right at her. He held open his arms for her. Tears streaked down her face as she pulled her skirts up over her knees and ran into his arms. His arms tightened around her as he pulled her into a deep kiss.

Tori tightened her hold on him as she pulled away slightly. "I missed you so much. Why didn't you come looking for us?"

"I am afraid that is my fault, my lady." The blonde elf had stepped up behind them. "My father asked that he stay and help to protect Mirkwood."

"Legolas is correct. I could not let any innocents die, my love." Sesshomaru nuzzled her mating mark. "I am sorry to have caused you worry."

"Just don't let it happen again." Tori buried her face into his shoulder.

"I see that you have found another of your company." Elrond stood at the base of the stairs watching Tori and Sesshomaru.

Tori managed to pull herself out of Sesshomaru's arms and turned to face Elrond. "This is my mate Lord Sesshomaru. Sessho, this is Lord Elrond of Rivendell."

"Welcome to Rivendell, Lord Sesshomaru and Legolas Greenleaf." Lord Elrond bowed to both men.

Sesshomaru inclined his head. "Thank you for caring for members of my pack, Lord Elrond."

"You're welcome but I did not care for Lady Tori and the children. That would be Frodo. He has been with her since they left the Shire." Elrond motioned them forward. "Come. I will take you to him."

Sesshomaru followed Tori and Elrond to Frodo's room. Frodo looked up at the silver haired man that entered the room with Tori and Elrond.

"This child has protected you, my love?" Sesshomaru stared at the Hobbit lying in the bed.

Frodo gaped at Sesshomaru as Tori giggled slightly. "Frodo is a Hobbit, love, not a child."

"I see." Sesshomaru moved toward Frodo's bed. "I thank you for caring for my pack members."

"You're welcome?" Frodo looked around Sesshomaru at Tori.

Tori giggled again as she stepped forward. "Sesshomaru, this is Frodo Baggins and Gandalf the Grey."

"A pleasure to meet the both of you." Sesshomaru bowed to Gandalf and Frodo.

Frodo tried to bow from his position on the bed but Tori shoved him back. "You need to rest Frodo. I'll check on you later." Tori dragged Sesshomaru out of the room and down the corridor.

Sesshomaru followed Tori through the corridors until they found Strider sitting on a bench reading. Sesshomaru looked down at his mate. "Who is that?"

"Strider. He's a friend that helped us get to Rivendell." Tori dragged Sesshomaru over to Strider. "Strider, I want you to meet my mate, Lord Sesshomaru."

Strider climbed to his feet and bowed to them. "It is a pleasure to meet the man that has to put up with Lady Tori's temper."

Sesshomaru looked around them. "Is Jaken here?"

"Sessho." Tori swatted Sesshomaru's arm lightly as Strider moved over so that Tori and Sesshomaru could join him on the bench. "Strider, what do you think is going to be decided at the council meeting?"

"They may decide how to destroy the Ring." Strider watched a man come into the corridor from the opposite side of them. "We will discuss this later."

The man looked over the strange group watching him. The lady was beautiful, that was true but the silver haired man beside her was strange. He recognized the second man as a man from the north. "You are from the north."

"Aye. I am here for the council." Strider took in the emblem of a white tree surrounded by stars on the man's shield. "You are from Gondor. Rest easy you are welcome here."

A small smile graced the man's lips as he looked over the sword that was laid upon a silk covered statue. He picked up the broken hilt and gripped it tightly. "So this is the sword that cut the Ring from Sauron's hand." He ran a finger along the edge and opened a small wound. "It's still sharp." He put the hilt back onto the 'altar' haphazardly and watched as it clattered to the ground. "It's just a broken blade." He hurried out of the corridor while Strider climbed to his feet.

Tori pulled Sesshomaru out of the corridor while Strider moved toward the fallen hilt. He scooped it up and placed it reverently on the 'altar' as Arwen stepped into the corridor.

"Why do you hide yourself? You are not like Isildur." Arwen watched Strider bow his head.

"I fear that may not be strong enough to resist the temptation."

"I can see deep within you. You would do the right thing."

Strider just nodded before moving down the corridor and out of sight. Arwen stared at the broken sword for a moment before also leaving the corridor.

-----

Sango laughed as Kirara chased Shippo and Rin around one of the many courtyards. Elladan and Elohir flanked her while Frodo sat beside Bilbo on one of the many benches. Sam, Merry, and Pippin were under one of the many trees with Koga discussing the differences between their worlds.

"So, Lady Sango, do you have a beau on your world?" Elladan leaned back in the grass while Sango played with the few blades had blown into her lap.

"I'm married, Elladan. I've told you that before. Miroku is my husband." Sango took a deep breath. "Even if he weren't I couldn't marry you."

"And why not?" Elladan ignored Elohir's outrage.

"Because you are an elf and I'm mortal." Sango looked up as Tori and Sesshomaru joined them in the courtyard. "Tori, Sesshomaru, over here."

Elladan and Elohir looked at each other before looking at Tori and Sesshomaru. Elladan gulped as he pointed at Sesshomaru. "Who is that?"

Sango laughed as Tori dropped to the ground beside them and Sesshomaru dropped behind her and pulled her into his lap. "That is Lord Sesshomaru, Lady Tori's mate. Sesshomaru, I'd like you to meet Elladan and Elohir, Elrond's sons."

"A pleasure." Sesshomaru nuzzled his mate's neck and growled softly which in turn made Tori moan.

Elladan leaned back slightly and shook his head. "You both act like you haven't seen each other in months."

"We haven't." Tori snuggled closer to Sesshomaru as Arwen and Strider came toward them. "Arwen! Strider!"

Arwen glided toward them as Sesshomaru climbed to his feet and hauled Elladan and Elohir to their feet as well. "I am glad to see that some of the men Lady Tori and Lady Sango know are gentlemen." Arwen bowed slightly. "_Ada_ wishes for you to bathe before supper. Lord Sesshomaru, you will be staying with your mate."

"I'll show him where are room is. Don't worry if we're late, Arwen." Tori giggled slightly as she climbed to her feet and pulled Sesshomaru away from the group.

Arwen watched as Sesshomaru scooped Tori into his arms and carried her to their rooms. "Come, Lady Sango."

"I'm coming." Sango climbed to her feet and hurried after Arwen and Strider.

-----

Tori and Sesshomaru stepped through the carved doors to the dining hall. Lord Elrond motioned them to the front of the hall and to the table on his right. Tori saw that Sango, Rin, and Shippo were already seated there. Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin were seated with Bilbo and Strider at the table across from them. Arwen, Elohir, and Elladan were seated with Elrond at the front table. Tori looked around the room and saw the elves from Mirkwood were seated at the table next to the Hobbits while the dwarves were sitting next to their table. The night passed without incident, if you call the small food fight Shippo and Rin started with Elladan and Elohir not an incident. As the night drew to a close Elrond climbed to his feet.

"Friends, we have gathered together for a single purpose. The last of the council has arrived; therefore we will start the meeting in the morn." Elrond clapped his hands twice and the doors to the hall opened. "I suggest we all take some rest for tomorrow we will decide the fate of Middle Earth."

The beings of Middle Earth climbed to their feet and made their ways to their rooms. Tori grabbed Sesshomaru's arm and together they followed Rin and Shippo to their quarters.

"I can't believe that the two of you started that food fight." Tori watched as Rin climbed from her tub.

"But, reidou, it was fun." Rin giggled as Tori pulled some of the creamy glop out of Rin's hair.

"I know, honey, but it wasn't very polite to our host." Tori squeezed a bit of shampoo into Rin's hair and started to lather it vigorously. "I honestly thought that Elladan and Elohir wouldn't think to take the challenge."

"Well, they did and we had to fight back." Rin held her breath as Tori pushed her under the water to rinse her hair.

"Finish your bath and then get to bed." Tori climbed to her feet and moved to the other side of the screen and saw Sesshomaru finishing with Shippo's hair. "Same with you, young man."

"Yes, Aunt Tori." Shippo grabbed the washcloth as Tori and Sesshomaru moved into the bedroom.

"Those two are chaos in itself." Sesshomaru watched Tori pull down the covers on the two beds.

"I know but it's our job to keep them in check." Tori heard Rin running from the bathroom. "Walk please."

"Sorry." Rin walked into the room with her head bowed. She climbed into her bed while Shippo walked from the bathroom.

"Are you going to tell us a story tonight?" Shippo climbed into his bed and pulled the covers up to his chin.

"Not tonight." Tori tucked him in and kissed his forehead before moving to Rin's bed and repeating the process. "Good night."

"Good night." Rin and Shippo watched Tori and Sesshomaru step out of the room.

Tori led Sesshomaru to their chambers. "Do you want a bath before bed?"

"We will have to see." Sesshomaru scooped Tori into his arms and carried her into the bedroom.

-----

Tori yawned as she looked around at the council members. Sesshomaru was seated between her and Legolas, who Tori had found out, was really sweet just like Sesshomaru. Strider was seated on the other side of the council room. Gandalf was on her other side with Frodo beside him. Sango was seated to the right of Lord Elrond with Koga between her and Frodo. Sam, Merry, Pippin, Rin, and Shippo had been banned from the meeting.

Elrond climbed to his feet. "Friends of Middle Earth, we are here to decide the fate of our world." He turned to Frodo. "Frodo, place the Ring." Frodo stood and placed the One Ring on the pedestal at the center of the room.

The man that had dropped the sword leered at the Ring. "So it's true." Tori shot a look at Sesshomaru as the man stood. "Long has my father, the steward of Gondor, defended our borders from the treat in Mordor. With the Ring, we will be able to defend all of Middle Earth."

"None may wield it, Boromir, but Sauron." Strider shook his head slightly.

"What would a Ranger from the north know of war?" Boromir sneered down his nose at Strider.

Legolas jumped to his feet. "He is no mere Ranger. He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn, and your King!"

Boromir looked at Strider while Tori gaped at him. "This is Isildur's heir?" He snorted slightly. "Gondor has no king." He dropped back into his seat.

Tori jumped to her feet and glared at Boromir. "Look. I don't know what the hell is going on but you will show Strider respect. If it wasn't for him, that Ring…" Tori jabbed a finger in the general direction of the Ring. "…Would now be in the hands of the enemy. He helped us get here to Rivendell and protect two children."

"Lady Tori." Strider held up a hand and gave her a soft smile. "Calm yourself."

Tori crossed her arms and threw herself back into her seat. Elrond had watched the entire thing as had the rest of the council. A dwarf stood up.

"Who is this woman?" The dwarf's eyes raked over Tori.

"This is Lady Tori and her husband, Lord Sesshomaru. Beside me is Lady Sango. They are not from Middle Earth, Gimli." Elrond raised a hand to stop anymore questions about Tori, Sango, and Sesshomaru. "We must decide the fate of the One Ring."

"Give it to Gondor. We can use it to keep Mordor at bay." Boromir had jumped to his feet again.

"Did you not hear them?" Sesshomaru jumped to his feet. "You cannot wield it!"

Boromir got into Sesshomaru's face while Strider tried to pull them apart. Gimli jumped to his feet and was yelling at Legolas. Tori jumped to her feet and scrambled up on her chair.

"Shut up, all of you!!" Not one being heard her. "That's it." She pulled out her sword. "Blades of Fire!" Three blades of fire scorched a bush across from her, making everyone turn to look at her. "I told the lot of you to SHUT UP!!! Now sit down!"

Sesshomaru and Strider sat in their seats immediately. Legolas looked between Tori and Sesshomaru before following his example. Boromir glared at Tori as he sat down.

Gimli fingered his axe as Tori climbed down from her seat. "What will you do if I don't sit down?"

"Do you really want to find out?" Tori smirked slightly as Gimli sat quickly. She turned to Elrond. "Please continue with what you were saying, Lord Elrond."

"As I was saying, the Ring must be destroyed." Elrond looked around at the group.

Gimli jumped to his feet and held his axe high. "Well, what are we waiting for?" He slammed his axe down on the Ring only to be thrown back into his seat.

Tori jumped to her feet and hurried to his side. "Are you all right?"

Gimli looked up at Tori and nodded. "One minute you're yelling at me and the next you're helping me."

"That's the way she is, Gimli." Elrond watched as Tori helped the dwarf to his feet. "The only way to destroy the Ring is to throw it into the fires of Mount Doom in the lands of Mordor."

"Who would be foolish enough to go into Mordor?" Boromir climbed to his feet. "You're talking about miles of a waterless and dusty wasteland. Not to mention thousands of Orcs between you and Mount Doom."

Legolas jumped to his feet. "It must be taken."

"And I suppose you think you should be the one to take it?" Gimli glared at Legolas.

"Perhaps." Legolas and Gimli stood toe to toe.

"I'll be dead before I see the Ring in the hands of an elf!"

Frodo had been slumping down in his chair the whole time everyone was fighting. "I'll take it."

Tori whipped her head around as Sesshomaru turned to face the Hobbit. "Did he say what I think he said?"

Frodo stood up from his seat. "I'll take the Ring to Mordor." Everyone turned to look at him. "I'll take the Ring to Mordor though I do not know the way."

Gandalf laid a hand on his shoulder. "I can help you there."

"Well, you're not keeping me out of a fight. I've got have someone to take my anger out on. I'm in." Tori grinned as she moved to stand behind Frodo.

"My mate does not go without me." Sesshomaru moved to stand behind Tori. "You will have my swords."

"Well, I can't let you two have all the fun. I'm in." Sango jumped to her feet.

"I'm going too." Koga helped Sango to her feet and they joined the group.

Strider climbed to his feet and slowly moved toward the group. "If by my life or death I can help you then I will. You have my sword." Strider knelt before Frodo.

Legolas smiled softly. "And my bow."

"And my axe." Gimli moved toward the group.

Boromir watched the group for a minute before turning his gaze to Frodo. "You hold the fate of us all, little one. I will help you on your journey."

"Oi! I'm coming too!" Sam hurried from behind one of the many trees.

"Indeed. It seems that we cannot separate you both, even when Frodo is summoned to a secret meeting and you are not."

Merry and Pippin hurried across the courtyard with Shippo and Rin right behind them. "We're coming too!"

"Right. You're going to need people of intelligence for this kind of mission...quest...thing." Pippin stood a little taller in front of Tori.

Tori laughed as she hugged Pippin. "Well that leaves you out, Pip."

Elrond took in the group before him. "The fifteen of you will be known as the Fellowship of the Ring."


	10. Chapter 9: The Fellowship of the Ring

_**Author's Notes: I don't own anyone from Lord of the Rings. If I did Frodo wouldn't have gone on to the Grey Havens. Legolas would be teaching me how to use a bow and arrow. Aragorn and Arwen would have been married long before the Ring was found. I don't own any of the Inu-Yasha characters. If I did, Sesshomaru would be joining Legolas in teaching me how to use a sword. Enjoy.**_

_**Recently I got copies of the show and saw that the spelling of Sesshomaru is indeed spelled wrong. Forgive me but I was going by what I saw in the magnas. I did correct the spelling in all the chapters.**_

**

* * *

**

Chapter 9 

**The Fellowship of the Ring**

Tori stretched slightly as she finished packing her bags for the journey to Mordor. She turned and saw Sesshomaru standing on the balcony watching the sunrise. "You know we need to be packed and ready to leave soon, Sessho."

"I know." He turned slightly to look at his mate. "Do you think we will find Inu-Yasha, Miroku, and Kagome?"

"I'm sure of it." Tori tied the bags closed. "Come on, we're going to be late."

Sesshomaru followed Tori out of the rooms and down into the courtyard where the rest of their group was waiting. Rin had climbed onto the Kirara's back and was waiting to see if anyone was going to be riding with her. Sam was tying some of the last packs onto the pony Bill that they had gotten from Bree. Frodo was talking to Gandalf and Koga while Legolas and Gimli were trying to stare each other down. Shippo was helping Merry and Pippin carry some more packs over to Bill. The night before Koga and Sesshomaru had said that they would carry what they could. Sam had simply stated that he would carry his own pack that Tori knew would have Frodo's things in it as well. Frodo had been to visit Bilbo, who had given him his sword Sting. Arwen had given Tori and Sango several outfits for the journey and Elohir and Elladan had agreed to give some clothes to Koga and Sesshomaru. Now they were ready to travel. Hopefully they could destroy the Ring before Sauron could raise an army to wipe out the people of Middle Earth. Sango moved to Tori as Aragorn moved toward the group.

"He seems a little sad." Sango watched him make sure that the ropes were tied tightly around their packs.

"He had to say goodbye to Arwen. Wouldn't you be sad too?" Tori watched as Elrond came toward them.

"This Fellowship is one of friends. You are not obligated to see Mordor or even stay with the Fellowship. I only say to go as far as your heart allows." Elrond bowed to the group.

"The Fellowship awaits the Ring Bearer." Gandalf waited for Frodo to move in front of him.

Frodo moved to the front of the group and led them through the gates of Rivendell. Suddenly he realized something. "Gandalf, which way is Mordor? Left or right?"

Gandalf laid a hand on his left shoulder. "Left."

Tori had yet to move. She was waiting for Strider…Aragorn. _Damn. I'm never going to remember him as Aragorn._ She saw him give one last look at Arwen before turning to join her in their exit out of Rivendell. They walked in silence for a while before Tori noticed the tears that were in his eyes. "It's okay to cry, Strider. You're going to miss her."

"Yes, I will but not for the reasons that you think."

"What stupid man thing did you do?"

"I told her to go with her people to the Undying Lands."

"It's a wonder she even showed up to see us off, you _baka_!" Tori slapped Aragorn around the head before stomping off.

"Sorry?" Aragorn shook his head slightly as he followed after her.

-----

Sesshomaru noticed that Tori and Sango were staying as far from Aragorn as possible. _That's unusual. They are angry with him. I wonder why?_ He slowed his walk so that he and Aragorn were walking side by side. "What have you done to anger my mate and sister?"

"I'm not sure. I think it has to do with the fact that I told the woman I love to go the Undying Lands with her people." Aragorn shrugged slightly.

"And why did you do such a fool hardy thing as that?"

"I don't want her to be left here alone if I die."

"You will not be dying for a good long time, Aragorn!" Tori threw a rock back at him.

"And how do you know that, my lady?"

Tori whirled around and stomped back to Aragorn and Sesshomaru. "Because I saw it. There will only be two deaths for us and you're not one of them."

"How do you know of such things, milady?" Gandalf had slowed enough to overhear them.

"I'm not sure. Sometimes I have dreams and I can see what's going to happen." Tori shrugged slightly before hurrying to catch up to Sango.

"Is this true?" Gandalf turned his gaze to Sesshomaru.

"Yes. She saw our final battle on Naboo and the death of a great man." Sesshomaru shook his head slightly. "I do not know what it means but if she says that one is not going to die then I suggest that you listen to her."

"It seems that would be wise." Gandalf walked away nodding his head slightly and thinking.

-----

Several hours had passed and Tori was helping Sam cook their dinner. Merry and Pippin has spoken with Aragorn, Sango, and Boromir about teaching them how to use a sword. Sesshomaru was standing with Legolas and watching the area for anything strange.

"I don't see how a woman can wield a sword." Boromir hadn't noticed that Sango had changed into her skintight slayer outfit.

"Yeah, well, you're also an idiot." Sango managed to knock Boromir off his feet. "I've had a lot more training than you, Boromir. And I've been through a lot more."

Boromir simply shrugged as he watched Sango show Merry and Pippin the proper stances and ways to hold a sword. "Okay my turn." Boromir pulled out his sword and was showing them how to deflect and attack with each swing.

Tori made her way over to the group and handed Koga a plate before giving one to Rin. Sam was right behind her with plates for Shippo and Frodo. "Eat up, guys." Tori turned slightly to watch the mock fight. "Remember use your legs. That'll give you more leverage."

Gimli chewed on the end of his pipe as he gazed at the mountains. "If you were to ask my opinion, and I know you're not, I'd say were taking the long way around."

"It is safer, Gimli." Gandalf noticed that Sam had brought him and Gimli plates of food.

Gimli looked up from his plate. "We should go through the Mines of Moria. My cousin, Balin, would give us a royal welcome."

Gandalf shook his head slightly. "I would not go through the Mines unless I had no other choice."

Tori was standing beside the fire listening. "Gimli, not all of us would like the royal treatment. I personally prefer the open air and being able to look at the stars." She walked back to the fire and fixed a plate for Legolas and Sesshomaru before carrying them over to the two men. "Ready to eat?"

"Thank you, Lady Tori." Legolas bowed slightly before taking the plate from Tori.

"It's just Tori." Tori turned her gaze onto the horizon that they had been watching as Sesshomaru took the plate from her hands. "What's that?"

Gimli waved his hand slightly as everyone turned to see the black spot moving toward them. "It's just a wisp of clouds."

"It's moving fast." Sango had sheathed her sword and was standing beside Boromir.

"And against the wind." Boromir eyes squinted slightly.

"Put the fire out, Sam." Tori hurried back through the small camp. "I've got a bad feeling about this."

Legolas turned back to the group. "_Crebain_ from Dunland!"

"Hide!" Tori grabbed Rin's hand and hauled her under one of the bushes. "Stay here, Rin." She hurried about the camp gathering scattered items before diving under the bushes with Rin and Shippo who had crawled in after Rin. She looked around and saw everyone had managed to hide himself or herself before the _crebain_ flew overhead. Tori watched as the _crebain_ flew overheard. _Crows. _Crebain _are crows. I'm going to kill whoever sent them._

Gandalf climbed out from under the bushes and stared at the disappearing birds. "The way South is being watched."

"Then go through the Mines of Moria." Gimli gripped his axe tightly."No, Gimli, we will make for the pass over Caradhras." Gandalf tapped his unlit pipe against his leg as he turned his gaze to the mountains behind him.

Tori looked up at the mountains before spinning around on her heel. "Kirara and I will see you on the other side."

"Tori." Sesshomaru grabbed her around her waist.

"But that snow's going to be so cold, Sessho." Tori pretended to pout slightly.

"And you will walk through it, love." Sesshomaru nuzzled her mating mark.

"Not unless you change to your true form and carry me." She fluttered her eyelashes slightly.

"I do not think so." Sesshomaru growled softly.

"Nuts." Tori stomped over to the doused fire and kicked some dirt over the smoldering ashes.

Rin looked between her parents and smiled softly before helping Shippo to pack the packs onto Bill the pony. Camp was dismantled quickly and soon they started into the mountains.

-----

Tori shivered slightly in the freezing wind before reaching for the blanket wrapped around Rin and Shippo and pulled it tighter around them and Kirara's back. She looked at Aragorn, who was carrying Frodo and Sam, and Boromir, who was carrying Merry and Pippin, and saw that the Hobbits' faces were starting to turn blue with the cold. Gandalf and Sesshomaru were breaking a path through the snow with Gimli right behind them. Sango was huddled under a blanket behind Boromir and Koga had decided to wrap his arms around her to help keep her warm. Tori pulled out another blanket and draped it over Rin, Shippo, and Kirara before picking up her pace to catch up with Koga and Sango.

"Hey, guys. This is crazy." Tori shivered again before Koga wrapped an arm around her. "Thanks, Koga."

"No problem, milady." Koga tightened his hold on the two women as they passed under a cliff of snow. "I wish we could have kept going south. At least we wouldn't have had to deal with this snow."

"And the cold." Sango glanced at Koga and smirked slightly. "Do you have a real form, Koga?"

"Yes and I'm not using it." Koga laughed at the frowns gracing their faces. "Not to worry. When we get out of this frozen hell, I will personally try to find you both a hot spring to soak in and thaw out."

Tori smiled as Sango kissed his cheek. They all turned as Legolas walked beside them, on top of the packed snow. "You know, I hate when he does stuff like that."

Sango nodded before pulling her blanket closer to her body. "Let's keep moving. We won't freeze that way."

Tori and Koga nodded and picked up the pace to keep up with the other adults. Legolas stood on the ledge of the pass they were trying to get through when he turned to Gandalf.

"There's a foul voice on the wind." Legolas shoved Gandalf back under the cliff as a lightning bolt struck the cliff far above them making several rocks fall.

"It's Saruman." Gandalf jumped out from under the cliff and began to chant just as another lightning bolt struck the cliff.

"Avalanche!" Tori grabbed Rin and Shippo and pulled them off Kirara.

Sesshomaru and Legolas grabbed Gandalf and pulled him back to the wall of rock along the pass. Aragorn and Boromir managed to cover the Hobbits while Koga covered Sango with his body. Kirara positioned herself over Tori, Gimli, and the children as half the snow on the mountain fell on them. As the avalanche finished Kirara pushed the snow off her back as Tori and Gimli dug out around the children. Kirara ran across the packed snow and helped dig Aragorn and Boromir out as well as the Hobbits. Legolas and Sesshomaru popped out of the snow and helped Gandalf while Koga and Sango dug themselves out.

"This is madness, Gandalf! Saruman is trying to kill us!" Aragorn yelled into the wind.

"We can't stay here!" Koga had worked his way to the front of the line. "The Hobbits will freeze to death not to mention the women and children!"

"I will not have my mate's death to deal with, Gandalf!" Sesshomaru watched the wizard slightly.

"I say we make for the Gap of Rohan and head to Minas Tirith!" Boromir didn't release Merry and Pippin.

Gimli swiped at the snow clinging to his beard. "I vote for going through the Mines of Moria! We will be safer there with my cousin, Balin, to help protect the Ring!"

Gandalf looked at the worried faces and sighed. "Let the Ring Bearer decide!"

Frodo looked up at Aragorn before turning slightly to look at Tori, brushing the snow off Rin and Shippo, and Sango, pulling her blanket back around her. "I think…we should go … through Moria!"

Gandalf looked defeated as he nodded. "So says the Ring Bearer." He started to lead the group off the mountain.

"Wait! I know of a way to get out of this cold faster!" Sesshomaru growled slightly as the wind picked up around him. Suddenly a large white dog towered over the group.

"What about Bill?" Sam looked back at the pony.

"He'll be coming with us." Tori gave Sam a small smile as the dog laid down so that the group could scramble into the soft fur of his back. Tori patted Sesshomaru's nose before kissing it. "Thanks, darlin'."

Kirara grabbed the reins of Bill in her mouth and quickly pulled him up the side of Sesshomaru. Tori was the last to scramble up the side of the massive dog. She settled down into the soft, and extremely warm, fur as Sesshomaru took off into the howling wind and swirling snow. He landed at the foot of the mountains and lay down so that everyone could scramble off. As soon as he had changed back, Tori flung herself at Sesshomaru and buried her face into the fur draped over his shoulder.

"I guess I'd better start sniffing out a hot spring." Koga moved off toward the East.

Sesshomaru wrapped his arms around Tori and lifted her. "I don't think you need to walk anymore, my dear."

The group followed after Koga until he stopped. "I think we should set up camp here. There's a hot spring not to far away, ladies. Sesshomaru, Gimli, Aragorn, Legolas, and I will check it out and make sure it's safe."

"Thank you, Koga." Sango looked up from the packs she had pulled off Bill.

Gandalf nodded slightly. "Camp will be set when you return."

Tori helped Sango pull their bathing supplies from their packs as Sam and Shippo started to gather firewood. Rin and Frodo pulled out some food while Gandalf readied the fire pit. The rest of the group returned.

"The hot spring is safe. There's no way anyone can get the drop on you ladies." Aragorn sat on one of the fallen logs around the campsite.

"Thanks, Aragorn." Tori grabbed the bag that now held their bathing supplies and clean clothes. "Come on, Rin. Time for a bath." She turned to look at the men gathering around the fire. "You guys can decide who takes one after us."

Sango and Tori grabbed their weapons and motioned to Rin to follow them. They disappeared into the surrounding woods. Sesshomaru sat on another of the logs and stared into the now blazing fire. Gandalf and Gimli joined him as Shippo helped Sam started their evening meal. Aragorn and Boromir quickly took up the lesson that had been interrupted by the _crebain_.


	11. Chapter 10: The Mines of Moria

_**Author's Notes: I don't own anyone from Lord of the Rings. If I did Frodo wouldn't have gone on to the Grey Havens. Legolas would be teaching me how to use a bow and arrow. Aragorn and Arwen would have been married long before the Ring was found. I don't own any of the Inu-Yasha characters. If I did, Sesshomaru would be joining Legolas in teaching me how to use a sword. Enjoy.**_

_**Recently I got copies of the show and saw that the spelling of Sesshomaru is indeed spelled wrong. Forgive me but I was going by what I saw in the magnas. I did correct the spelling in all the chapters.**_

**

* * *

**

Chapter 10 

**Mines of Moria**

Tori looked up at the star filled sky during her and Legolas's watch. Legolas was leaning against one of the many trees that were surrounding their camp. Tori finally turned her gaze to the group asleep around the fire. Shippo and Rin were curled up closest to the fire with Kirara between them. Sango was on her pallet a bit further from the fire than the children but close enough to protect them. Frodo and Sam were between Sango and the children while Merry and Pippin were on the other side of the fire. Gandalf and Gimli were just past Merry and Pippin while Koga, Sesshomaru, Boromir, and Aragorn were all propped up by the trees since they had fallen asleep while sitting up and talking, well at least the mortal men had fallen asleep.

"So how exactly did you meet Sesshomaru?" Tori tilted her head slightly to look at Legolas through her bangs.

Legolas gave her a small smile before motioning her closer to himself. "It is a long story."

"I don't care. I'm quite sure that Sessho has told you quite a bit about us and how we met."

"Yes. It all started when I was attacked."

"Attacked? By what?"

"Giant Spiders…"

_**Legolas had drawn his sword to no avail. The three giant spiders were advancing on him. Soon he'd either have to run or die. Suddenly he heard the sound of a sword being drawn. He looked up and could have sworn the Valar had descended from heaven to aid him.**_

_**"I suggest you flee, Naraku." The white haired figure pointed his sword at the spiders. "I will kill you for taking what is mine." The spiders started clicking their pincers as the advanced on the newcomer. "Do not think that I was feigning." He swung his sword and sliced off the head of one of the spiders while the other two trued to jump on him. His sword sliced through a second spider and as arrow pierced the side of the third. "How did that fool Naraku get here?"**_

_**"Many thanks, sir. Those spiders have been causing mayhem in Mirkwood for centuries." Legolas took in the silver haired man. **_**He's handsome. Hopefully he is married or the she-elves won't leave him alone for long.**

_**"So they are not Naraku's offspring?"**_

_**"No. No one knows where they from or how they came to be." Legolas felt a trickle of warmth running down his arm. One of the spiders had scratched him deeply and now he needed to clean it fast before the poison set in. "Come. I need to clean out this wound before the poison begins."**_

_**Sesshomaru followed after the strange man. His golden eyes swept over the man's tunic and leggings. **_**Interesting. He seems to be comfortable in those clothes. I wonder if he has seen Tori and the others.**_** "I am looking for the rest of my pack. Have you seen them?"**_

_**"You are the first stranger I have seen in months." Legolas entered into a small clearing with a stream meandered through it and where he had a fire burning brightly. He moved toward a pack and pulled out a bowl before making his way to the stream to gather some water.**_

_**"It would be best if you heated the water before you used it." Sesshomaru leaned against a tree as he watched Legolas. His white pack, which Kagome had gotten for him at Tori's insistence, sat open on the ground beside him.**_

_**Legolas turned to look at the strange man. "I do not believe I introduced myself. I am Legolas Greenleaf."**_

_**"Sesshomaru, Lord of the Western Lands." He bowed slightly as Legolas turned toward the fire.**_

_**Legolas poured the water into a small pot kept for that purpose and put the pot over the fire. He noticed Sesshomaru rummaging through his pack. "What are you looking for?"**_

_**"My mate packed something she called a 'First aid kit' in here and I believe that it would help with your wound." Sesshomaru pulled out the familiar white box with a red cross on it. He pulled a small bottle of rubbing alcohol from the container. "Pour this over the wound once you have finished with the water."**_

_**Legolas carefully twisted off the lid of the bottle and took a big sniff. He barely caught the bottle as tried to get his nose under control. "I am to put this foul smelling, Goblin piss on my wound?"**_

_**"It will clean it out." Sesshomaru continued to rummage through the first aid kit. "I could give you this liquid." He held up a brown bottle. "It turns white and bubbles when it hits dirt within the wound."**_

_**Legolas shuddered slightly. "I will take the Goblin piss." He wrapped a clean rag around the top of the bottle and poured some alcohol on it. He dabbed it on the wound. "It burns!"**_

_**Sesshomaru smirked slightly. "Blow on it. It will take away the sting." He pulled some gauze and tape from the first aid kit and slowly moved toward the elf, who was blowing on his wound. "Are you finished?" Legolas nodded as Sesshomaru knelt next to him and quickly wrapped the wound with the gauze and taped it in place. "It will need to be changed tomorrow."**_

_**"Thank you." Legolas watched as the demon that had come to his aid quickly closed bottles and placed everything back into his pack. "My father will want to meet you."**_

_**"I must find the rest of my pack."**_

_**"The forest is dangerous. Much too dangerous to travel alone and at night." Legolas climbed to his feet with ease and walked over to his horse. "We are only an hour's ride from my home. At least be our guest for this one night."**_

_**Sesshomaru looked up from the only picture he had of his mate. "Fine. But if any of my pack dies or is injured then it is on your head."**_

_**"Agreed." Legolas mounted his horse and reached down to help Sesshomaru up. "It will be faster if we ride."**_

_**"I will be able to keep up with you." Sesshomaru smirked slightly as Legolas shrugged and nudged his out of the clearing at a fast pace. Sesshomaru merely called his white cloud to form around his feet and followed after the elf.**_

"When my father met him, he insisted that Sesshomaru help keep the spiders around the forest at bay." Legolas's eyes scanned the area looking for danger. "When the messenger came from Rivendell, my father and Sesshomaru agreed that this was the only chance he would find to try and find his pack."

"Even now we're still missin' three people." Tori climbed to her feet before turning to look at her mate. "I can only thank you for takin' him in and seeing that he didn't go on a killin' spree." She leaned down and placed a soft kiss on Legolas's cheek. "I'm gonna turn in. Make sure you wake up the next shift."

"I will, milady." Legolas watched Tori move across the camp and snuggle up in Sesshomaru's lap. _Some day I will find a love like that and my father will quick annoying me to marry._

-----

The next day passed much the same as the weeks before. Forests, rocks, and streams were passed and trudged through. The only thing they didn't see was snow and for that Tori was extremely thankful. Finally they were standing before a massive span of rock just as the sun began to set.

"The Walls of Moria!" Gimli scrambled down the rocks ahead of Gandalf.

Gandalf slowly started down the rocks before leaning heavily on his staff. "Frodo, come help an old man." Frodo hurried toward Gandalf as Boromir passed them.

Tori knew that something was up. Gandalf wasn't the fragile kind of person. _I bet it has something to do with Boromir not giving Frodo the Ring when he slipped back in the snow._ She shivered slightly as she laid her head on Sesshomaru's arm.

"Are you feeling well, Tori? Sesshomaru looked worriedly at his mate. She seemed to be a bit off from her usual perky self.

"I'm fine, just a little tired. After all I'm not usually the one up with the sun yelling for us to 'Find more shards'." She smiled softly as they continued to follow behind Gimli.

Gimli had taken to tapping his axe every few feet. "Dwarf door are invisible unless you know that they are there."

"Yes, Master Gimli. Doors can be forgotten, even by their own masters, when they are no longer used." Gandalf moved past Gimli and along a dark pool of water.

Legolas rolled his eyes. "Now why doesn't that surprise me?"

"Knock it off, Legolas." Tori smiled softly as she followed after Gandalf. She watched him as he stopped before a smooth stretch of rock just as Frodo stepped into the dark water.

Gandalf swept the rock free of any loose dirt. He looked over his shoulder as Sango started to hand out some snacks for the Hobbits and Children to eat. "Made to reflect…moonlight and starlight." Several clouds parted and a silvery beam of light landed on the smoothed out rock.

"Silvery lines seemed to appear as the moonlight hit them. "What does it say, Gandalf?" Tori moved to his side.

"It says: 'The Doors of Durin, Lord of Moria, Speak Friend and Enter.'" Gandalf rubbed his chin slightly.

"So what does that mean?" Sango looked up from her snack.

"It means that if you're a friend you speak the password and enter." Gandalf pressed his staff to the star in the center of the door. "_Annon edhellen, edro hi ammen! Fennas nothothrim, last beth lammen!_"

Tori watched as Gandalf pushed on the doors. Pippin started to make a comment but Tori slapped his head. "I have a feeling that the password is going to be something very simple, Gandalf." She sank onto one of the boulders near the doors.

"You may be right, milady." Gandalf raised his staff and tried again.

Merry and Pippin were skipping rocks across the dark waters while Aragorn and Sam were letting Bill go. Rin and Shippo were helping Sango clean up while Kirara perched herself on Tori's shoulders. Sesshomaru and Boromir each grabbed Merry and Pippin and pulled them away from the water.

"Do not disturb the waters." Sesshomaru let out a small growl as he moved toward Tori and Frodo.

"He's right. It isn't safe to relax our guard." Boromir turned his eyes to the water.

Frodo climbed to his feet and looked at the doors for a moment. "Gandalf what is the Elvish word for friend?"

"_Mellon_." Gandalf looked up as the doors slowly opened. "Indeed it was something simple."

"Like most riddles the answer was right in front of us." Tori smiled as she swung her pack onto her shoulder.

Gandalf led them into the darkened doorway as he settled a clear crystal into the top of his staff and blew on it creating a soft light. Tori had barely made it ten steps past the doors when she tripped over something lying on the floor. Grumbling softly, she looked down to see how her ankle was caught this time before she let out an ear-piercing scream that made Shippo, Koga, and Sesshomaru cover their sensitive ears.

"Skeleton!" Tori started to shake her leg trying to get the bony hand of a long dead dwarf to let go of her skin. "Get it off! Get it off! Get it off my leg, Sesshomaru!"

"This is no mine. It's a tomb!' Boromir pushed Frodo behind him as he started to back up slowly. "We should not have come here."

"We didn't know." Gimli looked around at his fallen comrades. "I didn't know."

Legolas pulled an arrow from one of the skeletons and looked at it. "Goblins!"

Sesshomaru used his claws to cut the bony hand off Tori's leg before he lifted her away from the skeleton. He heard a soft splashing behind him moments before Fordo screamed in terror. Tori and Sesshomaru spun around and saw Frodo dangling in the air with a tentacle wrapped around his ankle. Tori grabbed the hilt of her sword as she started out into the water. Another tentacle wrapped around her waist and lifted her into the air.

"Sesshomaru!" Tori tried to free herself from the tentacle. "Let me go, you slimy worm!"

Sango and Sesshomaru jumped into the brackish water with Aragorn and started to hack through the tentacles. Sango threw her Hiraikotsu at the creature and severed the tentacle holding Tori above them. Sesshomaru caught Tori as Aragorn sliced through the tentacle holding Frodo. Legolas fired an arrow at the creature's eye as Aragorn caught Frodo.

"Into the Mines!" Koga scooped up Rin and Shippo and bounded through the gaping doorway.

Sango grabbed Sam and followed Koga with Boromir, Merry, Pippin, Gimli, and Gandalf right behind her. Aragorn and Sesshomaru carried their burdens through the doorway as Legolas scooped up the tiny Kirara and hurried after them. The creature started to follow them as its tentacles started to reach for the door. A rumbling could be heard above them as the creature brought the doors down on itself. Gandalf tapped his staff against the floor to recreate the light. Koga carefully looked over the children in the soft light as Tori swiped at the dust clinging to her face. Kirara watched from the safety of Legolas's arms while Sango dropped her pack at her feet.

Sango's brown eyes swept over the group quickly making sure that no one was injured before she turned and looked at Gandalf. "Now what do we do?"

Gandalf let out a soft sigh. "Now we make our way through the long dark of Moria…" He barely glanced at the group as he started up the stairs. "…And hope that nothing else awakens."

Tori bent to pick up her pack when she remembered some of the things that were always packed in it. "Hold up a sec." She flipped the flap of the pack open and started to dig in it.

Koga slowly made his way over to Tori and watched her dig through her pack. "What exactly are you looking for?"

"That's not it or that…" Tori looked up at Koga. "What, Koga?"

"I asked what you were looking for." Koga looked a bit upset that she hadn't heard him the first time.

Tori rolled her eyes slightly before turning back to the pack. "I just remembered that Kagome packed the same things into each of the packs."

"So?" Koga looked a bit confused as Tori pulled out a small black cylinder from her pack.

Tori climbed to her feet after closing the pack and slinging it over her shoulders. She slapped Koga across the back of his head before turning on the flashlight. "We're going to need light and this is going to help us out."

The beam of light highlighted the dust and grime covering everyone's faces. Legolas's fingers twitched slightly since he wanted to get the flashlight and figure it out. Aragorn just shrugged and motioned for the group to start walking up the stairs. Rin practically ran everyone over so that she could walk with Gandalf. Shippo looked up from playing with his flashlight.

"How long will it take us to make it through Moria?" Rin looked up at Gandalf.

"It will take us three days as long as we move quickly and do not wake anything else from its slumber. There are older and fouler things than Orcs in the deep places of the world." Gandalf smiled softly as Rin's tiny hand wrapped around his.

-----

Tori walked in the middle of the group as they slowly made their way through Moria. Sometimes she and Sango would take turns walking with the Hobbits but mostly she was trying to keep away from the skeletons that were still scattered along their path. That was the only thing that she hadn't gotten used to in the war with Naraku or even her days as a crime scene investigator. Dead bodies she could handle but show her a skeleton, especially one that had been mutilated like the one that had grabbed her, she freaked out.

Sango currently was walking beside Boromir and was starting to worry about him. He was always watching Frodo and nothing she tried to talk to him about would keep his attention for long. She looked around at the rest of the group and saw that they were mostly silent. Merry and Pippin were talking about her pack and the food that she was carrying. Sango just shook her head slightly as she patted their heads and moved past them.

Merry and Pippin were hungry, again, and Sango wasn't going to give them any food until they stopped for the night. Now they were trying to get Frodo and Sam to help them convince the stubborn woman, not that they would say it to her face, to feed them. Shippo had also started to complain that he was hungry but Sango simply smiled and ignored the three of them. Frodo seemed to be lost in his own little world while Sam kept fussing over Frodo.

Aragorn kept his hand on the hilt of his sword as he walked with Sesshomaru at the back of the group. Gandalf seemed to be a bit nervous about going through the Mines but he wouldn't tell anyone why. Sesshomaru's ears were listening for anything that wasn't normal for the 'dead' mines. His eyes never left his mate's backside. He was constantly thanking _Kami_ that the elves had given her a few of the traveling tunics and leggings since they hugged her every curve. The weeks that they had been traveling together rarely afforded them any time together but Aragorn and Legolas, at least, let them have the privacy that they were lacking. Legolas also kept his eyes and ears open for any danger. With the two women, two children, and four Hobbits, one could never be too careful. Gimli had gotten the hint when Tori glared at him for the fifth time in as many minutes to keep his Dwarf mouth shut. Koga kept his distance from Tori and Sango. He really didn't feel like dealing with the frustrated demon lord so he kept pace with Gandalf and the children.

Rin's flashlight skimmed over the rocks as it swung at her side. She held tightly to Gandalf's hand as Shippo and Kirara rode on the wizened wizard's shoulder. She looked up at him. "Gandalf?"

"Yes, Rin?" Gandalf led them through an archway.

"What did they mine for here?"

Tori's head snapped up at this question. "Yes. What riches did they find here?"

"The wealth of Moria is not gold or jewels or even silver." Gandalf smiled softly.

"Really?" Rin looked up at Gandalf as he stopped and held his staff out over the cliff.

"Yes. It was famous for Mithril." The light from his staff highlighted the silvery metal running through the rocks.

"Whoa." Shippo's little eyes seemed to widen slightly.

"What exactly is Mithril?" Tori was slowly making her through the group.

"A very unusual metal." Gimli's voice made Tori turn to face him. "It's as strong as a dragon's scales and as light as a feather. It can be forged into very strong armor and weapons that no Orc or Goblin would dare fight against."

"Exactly. Thorin gave Bilbo a shirt of Mithril rings." Gandalf pulled his staff back and started along the path again.

"That was a kingly gift." Gimli looked amazed at this information. "What happened to it?"

"I'm not sure, but I never told him that its worth was greater than the Shire." Gandalf started up a flight of steep stairs.

No one saw Frodo rubbing his chest slightly.

-----

Sango was dead tired. She knew that they had come a long way in the day and a half that they had been walking in the mines but this was ridiculous. Tori, who was walking beside her, let out a jaw-cracking yawn. Legolas noticed and nudged Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru nodded as he shifted his burden of two sleeping children. Aragorn saw Gandalf stopped at the top of the stairs with the Hobbits and Koga right behind him.

"I do not remember this." Gandalf looked between the three tunnels before him.

Tori dropped onto one of the steps while Sesshomaru settled himself beside her. Sango dropped next to Koga and wearily took the pack from her back. Legolas and Aragorn took the children from Sesshomaru so that his mate could curl up in his lap to rest. Merry, Pippin, and Sam stretched out among the others while Boromir leaned against one of the rocks lining the stairs. Frodo sat furthest from the group as the others stretched out to rest. Sam started to pass out some of the snacks that Tori and Sango had packed since he knew that Merry and Pippin were hungry again. And this was how the hours passed.

Frodo looked down the way they had come and saw something moving among the shadows. He jumped to his feet and hurried over to Gandalf. "There's something down there."

"Gollum." Gandalf half turned to the group and saw that most of them were sleeping.

Sesshomaru watched Gandalf and Frodo talk softly. He looked down at his mate and started to thread his fingers through her hair as Rin and Shippo started to stir in Aragorn and Legolas's laps. Sango had awoken an hour earlier and was now trying to get Merry and Pippin out of the food packs. Koga had decided to stretch his legs and was listening to Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli. Tori stretched slightly as she started to wake up. She arched herself across Sesshomaru's legs as she opened her eyes. She smiled softly as she wrapped her arms around his neck and tried to pull him down to her for a kiss. Sesshomaru smiled softly until he heard Koga slight cough.

"I do not think that we should, my mate." Sesshomaru's low voice sent delicious shivers down Tori's back.

"And why not?" Tori started to nuzzle his neck.

"Because we would make fun of how he is wrapped around your finger." Legolas stifled a laugh as Tori's head whipped around to glare at him.

"Damn, I forgot where we were." Tori climbed to her feet and tugged at her wrinkled tunic.

Gandalf looked down the tunnel in front of him. "Ah, it's this one."

Koga jumped to his feet. "You remembered."

"Finally." Merry hurried up the stairs.

"I did not remember but the air does not smell as foul in this direction." Gandalf glared slightly at Koga and Merry. "When in doubt follow your nose."

The group slowly followed Gandalf down the dark stairs. Tori's crystal blue eyes widened slightly when she saw the towering columns at the foot of the stairs. "Where the bloody hell are we?" She heard the slight growl from behind her. "Sorry, honey, too much time spent with James and Sirius an the ship."

"Koga, remind me to kill them whenever we next see them." Sesshomaru's growls seemed to echo through the cave like room.

"So, Gandalf, where are we?" Rin looked at Gandalf from her perch on Aragorn's shoulders.

"Behold the Dwarf City of Dwarrowdelf." Gandalf started across the room as the rest of the group followed.

Tori and Sango noticed a room to their left moments before Gimli ran toward it. Tori raced after him as Sango got the others attention. Tori slowly edged around the skeletons scattered across the floor and toward Gimli who was kneeling beside a large granite coffin. Tori dropped to her knees beside Gimli and wrapped her arms around him as the rest of the group stepped into the room.

"What is this place, Gandalf?" Rin looked down at Gandalf.

"It's a tomb." Gandalf looked down at the stone and quickly read the etching. "'Here lies Balin, Son of Fudin, Lord of Moria'."

"We were too late." Gimli's voice was slightly muffled by Tori's shoulder.

Legolas moved closer to Aragorn and Sesshomaru. "We must not linger here."

Sesshomaru nodded as Sango handed a book to Gandalf. Gandalf opened it to the last page as Pippin moved closer to a skeleton sitting on the edge of a well. "'We cannot get out. We cannot get out. They have taken the Bridge and the second hall. We cannot get out. They are coming.'"

Koga jumped toward Pippin as he twisted the arrow sticking out of the skeleton's chest. The head rolled off its shoulders and Tori and Sango cringed with each strike it made as it fell down the well. Koga managed to grab the rest of the skeleton before it fell.

"You're going to give us away, Pip." Merry rolled his eyes slightly as he moved toward his cousin.

"Fool of a Took!" Gandalf glared at Pippin. "Throw yourself in next time and rid us of your stupidity!"

Koga looked down at the skeleton in his hands. "I guess it won't matter if I do this." He pushed the rest of the skeleton down the well.

"No, Koga! Don't!" Sango jumped toward Koga and tried to grab the falling skeleton. She barely missed it before she turned to face Koga. "You are an IDIOT! Here we are trying to be quiet and you have to throw it down the well! Are you CRAZY?!"

Tori let out the breath she was holding while Koga tried to hide from Sango. "How much ya wanna bet that we're gonna have company?"

The sound of drums echoed through the room. Frodo pulled out Sting and saw that it had turned blue. "Not good."

"Orcs!" Legolas whirled around to face the opened doors.

"Right!" Sango tossed one last look at Koga before grabbing Rin and Shippo. Kirara transformed in a flash of fire that made Legolas and Boromir jump slightly. "Shippo, you're in charge of Rin. Kirara, keep to the shadows and keep the kids safe."

Sango put Rin and Shippo onto the _neko's_ back as Kirara nodded once before she flew up into the shadows covering the ceiling. Aragorn and Sesshomaru were struggling with one of the doors as Boromir stuck his head out the other.

An arrow embedded itself into the wood of the door as Sesshomaru pulled Boromir back into the room. "They have a cave troll."

Tori smirked slightly. "Ya mean they have something uglier than you?"

Aragon pulled the door closed as Legolas grabbed an axe and threw it to Sesshomaru who jammed it into place. Aragorn caught the next axe and wedged it beside the first. Gandalf and Sango pushed the Hobbits behind them ads they pulled out their swords.

Gimli had climbed onto the tomb and held his axe at the ready. "Let them come! There is still one dwarf left in Moria not afraid to fight!"

Tori drew her sword as Legolas and Aragorn drew arrows back in their bows. Boromir and Sesshomaru flanked them as the doors shuddered with each impact of the battering ram. The wood was cracking under the pressure the Orcs were applying. Suddenly a hole appeared and an Orc peered into the room.

"Oh man! I thought Naraku was ugly but he beats him by a landslide!" Tori smirked slightly as the Orc fell to one of Legolas's arrows.

One by one the Orcs fell to the arrows of Aragorn and Legolas until the Orcs outnumbered the arrows. The door crashed in and Orcs flooded the tiny room. Gimli jumped into the Orcs and swung his axe taking out one at a time with each swing. Tori's sword cut through the Orcs like they were butter as Sesshomaru's claws dripped poison onto the Orcs trying to get to Frodo. Koga and Legolas stood back to back as they battled the Orcs. Aragorn and Boromir fought the Orcs near the doors as the cave troll smashed in the doors. Boromir went flying as the cave troll made its way across the room swinging its club. The troll started to swing the chain attached to the collar around its neck. The troll saw Tori slicing through the Orcs around her.

Legolas saw the troll making its way toward her. "Lady Tori!" He fired an arrow at the troll as Tori ducked under the flying chain.

Tori stabbed the troll in its foot before spinning away to decapitate an Orc. Sam, Merry, and Pippin kept fighting the Orcs trying to get near Frodo. Sango used her Hiraikotsu as a club on the Orcs slowly surrounding her and the Hobbits. Sesshomaru and Aragorn continued to slice through the Orcs surrounding them as the troll continued to swing its chain. Finally the chain wrapped around one of the pillars around the room. Legolas stuck an arrow in the links of the chain to keep the troll from getting free before moving nimbly up the chain to the troll's head. He fired two arrows into the troll's head before jumping to the ground and killing the Orc trying to slice through Tori as the troll broke the chain.

"That's twice you've saved me today." Tori's eyes shifted slightly before she stabbed the Orc trying to get close to her and Legolas. "Now I only owe you for one."

Legolas nodded once before turning back to the battle. Sam was using a pot to smash the Orcs in their faces. The troll was trying to find Frodo behind the pillar. It pulled Frodo out from behind the pillar but Gimli smashed his axe into the troll's foot. Frodo fell to the ground and scurried into one of the corners. Aragorn saw Frodo was cornered as Sesshomaru landed in front of the troll.

"Come and fight me!" Sesshomaru swung Tokijin at the troll's feet as Aragorn picked up a spear and jabbed it into the troll just below its ribs.

The troll yanked the spear from Aragorn and knocked him into one wall before knocking Sesshomaru into another. It started toward Frodo and tried to stab him with the spear. Tori had barely looked up when she saw the troll stab Frodo.

"Frodo!" Sango jumped toward the fallen Hobbit as Aragorn came around.

Gimli threw his axe at the troll seconds before Merry, Pippin, and Koga jumped onto its back. The troll shook itself trying to remove the three weights that were clinging to its back. Legolas fired an arrow into the lower part of the troll's jaw before it started to stagger around. As the troll fell to the floor, the entire Fellowship had rushed to Frodo's side. Aragorn slowly turned Frodo over afraid that the ring bearer was dead.

Frodo moaned slightly as he moved to sit up. "I'm okay."

"That spear would have skewered a wild boar." Aragorn was shocked but no less shocked than the rest of the Fellowship.

"I think there's more to this than we think." Tori crossed her arms and stared at Frodo.

Frodo slowly unbuttoned his shirt and opened it. Gimli's jaw about hit the floor. "Mithril."

Sango jumped slightly as she heard the drums start again. "I think we better get moving."

"To the bridge of Khazad-dum." Gandalf ran out of the room with the rest of the group behind him.

Orcs were pouring out of cracks in the walls as the Fellowship ran. Kirara was running beside Gandalf with the children clinging to her back. Tori screamed as the Orcs appeared before them and to their right and left. Everyone herded the Hobbits and the children to the middle of the group. Suddenly a roar echoed through the room and the Orcs screeched in terror.

Tori looked at Sango. "Now what?!"

"What new devilry is this?" Boromir looked at Gandalf.

"A Balrog." Gandalf looked around the group. "We must fly." He started to run again.

The group hurried after him. Boromir ran through one of the arches and dropped his torch as he tried to keep from falling off the edge of the stairs. Legolas and Koga jumped toward him and pulled him back. They quickly made their way down the stairs until they came upon a gap in the stairs. Legolas jumped across first.

"Gandalf." Legolas motioned for Gandalf to jump across as an arrow struck the rocks of the stairs.

Legolas and Aragorn fired arrows at the Orcs to keep them from hitting the group. Boromir grabbed Merry and Pippin and followed after Gandalf just as a bit of the stairs crumbled behind him. Koga swung Sam onto his back and wrapped an arm around Sango before he jumped the gap. Sesshomaru nodding to Kirara before she jumped across with the children. He scooped Tori into his arms and jumped across as Legolas reached out to help him. Aragorn reached for Gimli.

Gimli held up a hand. "No one tosses a dwarf." He jumped across but Legolas grabbed his beard to help pull him onto the stairs before he fell. "Not the beard!"

The stairs started to crumble beneath Aragorn and Frodo just as another boulder crashed into the stairs behind them. Aragorn held onto Frodo and leaned with the teetering stairs until the stairs started to fall forward. Legolas caught Aragorn as Sesshomaru caught Frodo. They started down the stairs with the arrows firing at them the whole time. They finally faced a narrow stretch of rack that Sango could only assume was the Bridge of Khazad-dum. One by one they ran over the Bridge until only Gandalf was left standing in the middle of the Bridge. The Balrog roared at Gandalf.

"You cannot pass!" Gandalf held his staff and sword high as the Balrog snorted. "I am the Servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the Flame of Anor." The Balrog snorted again before swinging its sword at Gandalf but Gandalf slammed his staff against the Bridge. "You cannot pass! The dark fire will not avail you, flame of Udun! Go back to the Shadow! You cannot pass!"

The Balrog stepped onto the Bridge and Gandalf slammed his staff down a second time, causing the Bridge to break in two. The piece the Balrog stood on fell into the dark abyss below. Gandalf turned to face the Fellowship as a whip of flames seemed to fly up from the abyss and wrapped around his ankle. Gandalf was jerked back into the abyss but he managed to grab the edge of the Bridge.

"Gandalf!" Tori jumped forward. "Kirara can get him!"  
Gandalf looked at the group. "Fly you fools!" And he let go.

Frodo started to run toward the Bridge with Tori on his heels but Boromir and Sesshomaru grabbed them and started to run up the stairs.

Sesshomaru half-turned and saw Aragorn still standing at the foot of the stairs with arrows bouncing off the rocks around him. "Aragorn, we must hurry!"

Aragorn turned and hurried after Sesshomaru and Tori. One of their number was lost forever.


	12. Chapter 11: Journey to Lothlorien

_**Author's Notes: I don't own anyone from Lord of the Rings. If I did Frodo wouldn't have gone on to the Grey Havens. Legolas would be teaching me how to use a bow and arrow. Aragorn and Arwen would have been married long before the Ring was found. I don't own any of the Inu-Yasha characters. If I did, Sesshomaru would be joining Legolas in teaching me how to use a sword. Enjoy.**_

_**Recently I got copies of the show and saw that the spelling of Sesshomaru is indeed spelled wrong. Forgive me but I was going by what I saw in the magnas. I did correct the spelling in all the chapters.**_

**

* * *

**

Chapter 11 

**Journey to Lothlorien**

Aragorn looked around at the group and saw the tears forming in their eyes. Tori was beating Sesshomaru's chest and blaming him for letting Gandalf fall. Boromir was trying to comfort Merry and Pippin. Rin clung to Shippo and cried for her lost friend. Sango's face was buried in Koga's shoulder as he held her. Kirara was curled in Sam's arms and Legolas and Gimli stood to one side. Aragorn looked down at the forest below them before turning back to the group.

"Legolas! Gimli! Get them up!" Aragorn hurried to Sam and pulled him to his feet. "It'll be fine, Sam."

"Give them time to grieve!" Boromir glared at Aragorn.

Aragorn stomped over to Boromir and glared at him. "By nightfall these hills will be swarming with Orcs and Goblins. We must make it to Lothlorien and the safety of the elves."

Sesshomaru pulled Tori close to his chest as he stood. "We must hurry."

Koga looked around as Sango pulled away from him. "Where's Frodo?"

Tori pulled herself away from Sesshomaru and looked around until she saw Frodo moving away from the Fellowship. "Frodo!"

Frodo turned and looked at her with his tear-stained face and shook his head. "He shouldn't have come with me."

Tori ran over the uneven ground and pulled Frodo into a hug. "Never think that, Frodo. We'd follow you anywhere."

"Don't. You'll only die too." Frodo tried to pull away from Tori.

"I'm most likely going to die in battle but I'll die with you and the rest of the Fellowship." Tori tightened her hold on Frodo. As Frodo stopped struggling, Tori pulled away from him slightly and looked into his blue eyes. "Now, we'd better get going before those stinking Orcs catch up to us."

Frodo nodded as he and Tori moved toward the rest of the Fellowship. Kirara transformed in her usual flash of fire and meowed. Sango nodded as she turned to Aragorn and Sesshomaru. "I think that Rin, Shippo, Sam, Merry, Pippin, and Frodo should ride Kirara."

"Sounds like a plan to me." Pippin jumped to his feet and climbed onto Kirara's back as Koga quickly placed Rin and Shippo where they usually sat.

"This is when I wish Ah-Un is here." Tori looked up at Sesshomaru as Merry, Sam, and Frodo quickly followed Pippin's example.

"Quickly, we must go." Aragorn turned slightly as started down the side of the mountain with the rest of the Fellowship right behind him.

-----

Tori stifled a yawn as she stared into the quick fire that Legolas had started to make some of the Ramen noodles for the group. It was hard to believe that two days had passed since Gandalf fell in Moria. Aragorn kept them going at a very fast pace, which was not unlike Inu-Yasha when he wanted them to find a jewel shard. Luckily, Aragorn knew that the women and children needed rest every so often but what he couldn't understand was why after Tori ate, no matter how lightly, she made a dash for the bushes. Sesshomaru was also beginning to worry about his mate. She hadn't eaten for the last two days and what she did eat seemed to come right back up. Sam had also seen the way Tori had been the last few days and was making her some tea that would hopefully calm her stomach enough to let her eat something. Koga had the children and was trying to keep them from misbehaving and annoying any of the other adults. Gimli, Sango, and the rest of the Hobbits were scattered around the small fire.

Tori's nose twitched slightly when the scent of the cooking noodles hit it. She slapped her hand over her mouth as she scrambled to her feet and made a dash for the bushes. Sesshomaru grimaced slightly as he heard Tori getting sick. Legolas started toward the bushes as Sam added a bit of honey to Tori's tea.

"Milady, are you well?" Legolas held Tori around her waist as she climbed shakily to her feet.

Tori swallowed slightly to get rid of the foul taste in her mouth as she leaned against Legolas. "I'm fine, Legolas."

"This is the second day you have been ill, milady." Legolas helped Tori sit on the ground near the fire. "I am beginning to worry."

Sam slowly made his way to Tori and Legolas. "I made you tea, milady." Sam handed Tori the cup.

She gave Sam a small smile as she took the cup. "Thanks, Sam." She took a tentative sip before turning green and dropping the cup. "Not again." She scrambled back to her feet and the bushes.

"Maybe Gandalf's death is causing this illness." Boromir barely looked up from the fire.

"Perhaps it was something in the Mines." Koga looked around at the group.

"No, Koga. We'd all be sick then." Sango looked up from the pot over the fire.

"I agree with Sango. This case of illness does not seem to be affecting anyone else." Aragorn dug around his pack for a moment and pulled out a bit of athelas. "Sam, add this to the tea. It might help." He quickly made his way to the bushes. "Lady Tori?"

Tori looked up at Aragorn, tear tracks streaking down her cheeks. "I'm startin' to hate this."

Aragorn scooped Tori up into his arms. "I know you are." He carried her to the fire and helped her get settled again. "I promise that it will get better." He gave her a soft smile as Sam fixed her a new cup of tea. "I had Sam put some athelas into the tea. Perhaps it will help calm your stomach." He watched Tori take a small sip of the tea and sigh softly. "When we arrive in Lothlorien, I will arrange for a healer to tend to you."

"Thank you, Aragorn. What would I do without you, Legolas, and Sesshomaru watching over me?" Tori nodded as Aragorn climbed to his feet. "If only I had some toast or crackers."

"Perhaps the elves have something." Sango poured some of the broth into a cup for Tori. "I hope you can drink some broth."

"I'll try, Sango." Tori took the cup and took a tentative sip. She looked up at Sango and smiled. "Nothing's comin' back up. Looks like the athelas did the trick, Aragorn."

"I am glad to hear that, milady." Aragorn motioned Legolas over to Sesshomaru.

"_What is it_, _Aragorn_?" Legolas and Aragorn moved over to Sesshomaru on the far side of the fire.

"One moment, Legolas." Aragorn turned and looked at Sesshomaru. "Lord Sesshomaru, have you noticed anything besides the illness about Lady Tori?" Aragorn looked at Tori slowly sipping her tea and broth.

"She has complained of being overly tired, especially in the afternoon." Sesshomaru's golden eyes narrowed slightly. "Why do you ask?"

"I believe she is with child." Aragorn turned to Sesshomaru.

Sesshomaru nodded slightly. "That would explain much. Will the Elves be able to tell us?"

"Yes. If she is, will she continue to travel with the Fellowship? I do not wish to see her in any danger."

"I do not see why she cannot travel with us. I will, however, forbid her to fight. I do not wish for anything to happen to my pup." Sesshomaru moved toward Tori and knelt beside her. "I will carry you the rest of the way to the Elves, my love."

"That's not necessary, hon. I can walk." Tori glared at Sesshomaru. "I'm fine."

"This illness has weakened you and I will carry you."

"And I said that I'm fine, you fur ball." Tori continued to glare at Sesshomaru

"Sesshomaru, you might let her win this one." Sango didn't look up from her bowl.

"Why would I do that?"

"Don't you remember the time when Inu-Yasha took offense to your mating? She literally kicked his ass." Sango tilted her head slightly as she looked at the inu. "She might be weak but she still has a lot of fight in her."

"I agree." Gimli looked up form his bowl. "I think Lady Tori should walk on her own."

Sesshomaru turned his head and saw Legolas and Aragorn nodding. "You may walk on your own. However, if you become tired or sick, I _will_ carry you."

Tori rolled her eyes as she slowly climbed to her feet and made her way over to one of the trees. Sango also climbed to her feet and started to clean up from their quick meal. Frodo had watched the proceedings and seemed to understand how Tori was feeling. Sesshomaru watched Tori for another moment before moving to the edge of the camp. He and Koga were to keep watch while the others rested for the night. Sango was unrolling the sleeping bags and laying them out on the hard ground. Tori yawned again before situating herself into one of the sleeping bags and drifting off into a restless sleep. One by one the rest of the Fellowship followed her into dreamless slumber.

-----

It was noon the following day before they saw the beginnings of Lothlorien. They stood one the bank of the river that wound its way through the trees of Lothlorien.

"Lothlorien! We have come to the eaves of the Golden Wood." Legolas smiled happily at the group before starting toward the river.

"What's this river?" Tori picked her way to his side.

"Nimrodel. Come, Lady Tori. I will help you cross for it is said that the waters of Nimrodel are healing to the weary." Legolas held out a hand and Tori allowed him to lead her through the water.

The rest of the Fellowship heard Tori's soft sigh as they climbed down and followed after Legolas. One by one they made their way across the river and into the forest on the other side. Tori looked around the slowly darkening forest as they made their way under the ancient trees.

Gimli hung back near the Hobbits. "It's said that an Elf-witch lives in these woods. She can read your mind and feelings. This is one Dwarf she won't get. I've got the ears of a fox and the eyes of a hawk."

Suddenly Gimli stopped short. An arrow was pointed right at his nose. Tori had hidden behind Aragorn as the arrows started to appear. A blonde elf stepped from behind one of the trees and glared at Gimli.

"The dwarf breathes so loudly we could have shot him in the dark." The elf looked around the small group.

Aragorn bowed slightly to the elf. "Haldir, we've come for help."

"Come with me." Haldir motioned for the group to follow him.

"Tori sighed softly as she struggled to keep up with Sesshomaru and Legolas. Haldir heard Tori stop so he turned slightly and saw Tori holding her stomach and mouth as she ran for the trees. The Elf assigned to guard Tori hurried after her. He looked up at Haldir as he approached.

"_She is ill, Haldir. What are we to do?_" The Elf had knelt beside Tori and started to rub her back.

Haldir nodded once as he knelt on Tori's other side. "Milady?"

"I'm…okay." Tori lifted the hem of her tunic but dropped it just as quickly just before she started to dry heave.

Haldir motioned to the Elf as he took over rubbing Tori's back. The Elf quickly stood and practically threw his packs, bow, arrows, swords, and the rest of his weapons to the ground. "We are almost to our destination for the night, milady. Orophin will carry you the rest of the way."

Sesshomaru started toward Haldir and Tori. "I will carry…" He pulled up short as several of the other Elves pointed their arrows at him.

"I will take care of her, milord." Orophin gently lifted Tori into his arms. Tori stiffened slightly. "Relax, milady. I will not harm you."

Tori relaxed slightly and wrapped her arms around Orophin's neck. Sango scooped up Orophin's pack and weapons and started after him and Haldir. The rest of the Fellowship followed in silence for another hour. Three ladders clattered down from the trees after Haldir let out a low whistle.

"_We will need a harness for the lady, Haldir._" Orophin shifted Tori in his arms as he looked up one of the ladders. "_She is too weak to climb._"

Haldir reached into his pack, pulled out a rope, and started to fashion a harness as two more ropes fell along side the ladder. He handed the harness to Orophin as Orophin placed Tori onto her feet. "_Here is the harness._"

Orophin helped Tori into the harness and quickly tied the roped to the harness. "Hold onto this rope, milady. Our kin will pull you up."

"They won't drop me, will they?" Tori looked a little scared of being hoisted into the air.

"No, milady. They will not drop you." Orophin smiled softly. "I will climb beside you to make sure they keep you safe."

Tori nodded slightly as Sango came over to her and Orophin. "Take Kirara with you."

Tori held Kirara with one hand while she held onto the rope with the other. Her grip tightened slightly as the rope jerked slightly before she started to rise from the ground. Orophin climbed the ladder beside her as she rose through the air. Two Elves held the rope steady as two others quickly untied her from the harness. Orophin lifted her into his arms and carried her to a soft pallet as the rest of the Fellowship climbed the ladders. Sesshomaru climbed gracefully onto the platform and moved to kneel beside Tori. Orophin moved to one side as he looked around at the three others that joined them. Sango dropped the packs and weapons onto the platform as Rin hurried to sit with Tori. Shippo helped the Elves pull up the ladder.

"Where are the others?" Tori looked up at the hovering Orophin.

"They are on the other platforms." Orophin pointed through the trees to the other hidden platforms. "They are safe. I suggest you rest, milady."

"As long as they're safe." Tori relaxed under the blanket that Sesshomaru had covered her with and drifted off to sleep.

Sango had opened her pack and was handing out snacks to the children. She offered some of the snacks to Orophin and the other Elves. Orophin took the brightly wrapped package of chips while the other Elves refused the snacks. Sesshomaru watched over his sleeping mate.

-----

Aragorn stood to on one side of the platform and was trying to get Haldir to take them on into Lothlorien. "We must speak to Celeborn and Galadriel. We need aid in our journey."

"A great evil has been brought here. You must wait until we receive word." Haldir turned from Aragorn.

"If you are worried about any of our group…" Legolas looked over his shoulder at Koga and Gimli. "…We will vouch for them."

"The wolf demon has been vouched for. A friend of his has seen to his safety." Haldir barely contained his smirk. "As have most of the others. It is the Ring that has most of Lothlorien worried."

"But how are we…" Aragorn stopped as Haldir held up his hand.

"You will be blindfolded. The women will be led on horses once we cross the Celebrant as will the children." Haldir motioned to the pallets scattered around the platform. "Rest. We leave at dawn."

Aragorn nodded before laying down on one of the pallets. Gimli and Legolas followed his example and crawled under the covers of their pallets. Koga pushed himself away from the tree and sat on his pallet. His eyes never left the movements of the Elves moving around them on the platform.

-----

A she-elf walked beside the human male. She was carrying two buckets of water that she had been sent to fetch. The man was leaning on his staff as he walked. Suddenly the she-elf stopped dead in her tracks as something moved across her backside. The slap echoed through the forest.


	13. Chapter 12: Meeting with Galadriel

_**Author's Notes: I don't own anyone from Lord of the Rings. If I did Frodo wouldn't have gone on to the Grey Havens. Legolas would be teaching me how to use a bow and arrow. Aragorn and Arwen would have been married long before the Ring was found. I don't own any of the Inu-Yasha characters. If I did, Sesshomaru would be joining Legolas in teaching me how to use a sword. Enjoy.**_

_**Recently I got copies of the show and saw that the spelling of Sesshomaru is indeed spelled wrong. Forgive me but I was going by what I saw in the magnas. I did correct the spelling in all the chapters.**_

**Chapter 12**

**Meeting with Galadriel**

_**A she-elf walked beside a human male. She was carrying two buckets of water that she had been sent to fetch. The man was leaning on his staff as he walked. Suddenly the she-elf stopped dead in her tracks as something moved across her backside. The slap echoed through the forest.**_

Tori shot up on her pallet and looked around the platform. "Why do I have the feeling that Miroku just got slapped?" Tori untangled herself from the covers and slowly climbed to her feet. She looked around the platform and saw the three Elves cooking over the small-contained fire.

Orophin climbed to his feet and made his way over to Tori with a bowl in his hands. "I trust that you are feeling better, _nin hiril_."

"To a point." Tori looked at the bowl skeptically. "I'm not sure I could eat much of anything without it coming back up."

"Try this. It is a rabbit broth and I put some athelas in your bowl." Orophin handed Tori the bowl.

Tori took the bowl and took a small sip before she shoved the bowl back at Orophin and started to heave. Once her stomach stopped rebelling, she looked up at Orophin. "Told ya." She curled up under the covers and tried to drift off to sleep again but her stomach had other ideas. "I really hate this."

"A healer will look after you when we get to Lorien and Lady Galadriel." Orophin turned back to the packs and helped Sango pack up the food that she had pulled out. "Rest, _nin hiril_. We will leave soon."

Tori relaxed within the covers of her pallet while the rest of the group cleaned up the platform. Her eyes followed the three Elves as they helped Rin and Shippo get ready for the day. Sesshomaru stood near Tori's pallet as Orophin kicked the ladder over the side.

He knelt next to Tori. "Are you ready to travel, my love?"

"As ready as I will be." Tori flipped the covers from her legs and slowly climbed to her feet.

Orophin watched as Sesshomaru wrapped an arm around Tori's waist and helped her to the ladder and the waiting harness. "We will lower you, _nin hiril_."

Tori nodded as Orophin quickly tied the harness around her body. The ropes were tied to the harness and Tori kept her eyes closed as she was slowly lowered to the forest floor with Orophin climbing down the ladder beside her. Tori's feet touched the soft grass under the trees and she looked around. The rest of the Fellowship had also arrived and were starting to gather their packs.

Aragorn came toward Tori carrying a water bottle filled with some type of tea. He held it out to Tori. "I made you some athelas tea. It will help, _nin hiril_."

"Thank you, Aragorn." Tori slid the bottle into one of the pockets of her tunic. "I can't wait to have a hot bath and relax."

"After you speak with the Lady of the Golden Wood, it will be arranged." Haldir started forward. "Come. We have far to travel."

Sesshomaru kept pace with Tori and Orophin as Aragorn and Legolas walked with Sango directly behind Haldir. Shippo and Rin were chasing each other between the trees. The Elves laughed at the two children and their antics. One of the elves joined the children's game of tag as Koga and Gimli watched. They came to another river. Haldir caught the rope that one of the elves on the other side of the river had tossed to him. He tied it to one of the trees.

"We're supposed to cross over the river on that?" Tori looked at Haldir, who was nodding, for a moment before turning on her heel and starting back the way they had come. "Good luck with that."

"Lady Tori, I have two other ropes. One will be waist high and the other shoulder high. You have nothing to fear." Haldir patted her arm softly before throwing the ropes across the river.

The Elves on the other side tied the ropes to the same tree and waited for the group to start across. Legolas stepped up and placed a foot on the bottom rope. "I will go across first."

Sesshomaru scooped Tori up into his arms and moved to the edge of the bank. "I will take Tori across."

Koga watched as Kirara transformed quickly. "I think the Hobbits should go with Kirara and I'll take the children."

Sesshomaru nodded once before he jumped over the river. Koga swung Rin up onto his shoulder while Shippo jumped on his head. He jumped across the river with a single leap as Legolas hurried across the rope. Aragorn helped Sango onto the rope as Kirara, with the four Hobbits, jumped across the river. Boromir eyed the rope suspiciously as he inched his way across. Aragorn took one last look back the way they had come before he hurried across the rope. Haldir followed Aragorn across the rope. He turned and nodded to Orophin, who had stayed on the other side, to untie the ropes. Orophin pulled the ropes back across the river before he and the others disappeared back into the woods.

"Aren't they coming with us?" Sango looked over at Haldir.

"No. They go back to guarding our borders against the Orcs." Haldir motioned to the four horses being held by four more Elves. "These horses are for Lady Tori, Lady Sango, young Rin and Shippo."

Tori looked over at the four Hobbits and saw Frodo rubbing his feet slightly. "Haldir?"

"Yes, _nin_ _hiril_?" Haldir half-turned as Tori moved closer to him.

"Perhaps we could let Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin ride with us. They 're just as tired as we are." Tori motioned to the four Hobbits.

Haldir looked the Hobbits over slightly and nodded. "Of course, _nin hiril_."

Sango smiled as she lifted Pippin onto the reddish brown gelding with a black mane and tail. Haldir made Sango jump when he grasped her waist and lifted her onto the saddle behind Pippin. Sam helped Rin onto the brown and white spotted mare before climbing on himself. Merry was bouncing as much as Shippo when he scrambled into the saddle of the black and white mare. Tori watched as Frodo climbed into the saddle of a white gelding with a dark brown mane and tail. Sesshomaru lifted Tori into the saddle as Haldir started to pass out several colorful scarves made of silk.

"What are these for?" Koga looked down at the emerald green scarf in his hand.

"We must blindfold you." Haldir carefully wrapped a lavender scarf around Rin's eyes.

"But why?" Pippin looked between the scarf and the Elves.

"These are dangerous times." Haldir was looking around the group and saw that they had wrapped the scarves over their eyes. "Let us go."

Tori grabbed a hold of the saddle horn as the gelding started to move. She heard Rin giggle as the group was led deeper into the forest.

-----

Haldir stopped the group several hours later when a messenger approached them. He took the parchment and quickly read the missive. "You may remove the blindfolds." One by one the group untied the blindfolds and let the fragile fabric fall from their eyes.

Tori let the silk fall into her lap. She looked around and saw that they started to travel once more. The horses stopped again an hour later when they reached the crest of a hill. Below them stood a shimmering city.

"Behold Caras Galadhorn, where dwell Lord Celeborn and Galadriel, Lady of Light!" Haldir lifted his arms as if to embrace the tiny city.

Sango's jaw dropped as she looked down on the city. It seemed to shimmer as if a thousand candles had been lit within. Tori giggled slightly when she looked over at her friend.

"Well, let's keep going." Tori nudged her gelding slightly and followed Haldir down the hill.

Another hour had passed when the horses stopped a final time. A set of spiral stairs gently rose before them. Haldir motioned to those on the horses to dismount. "Now you will speak with Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel." He started up the stairs and knew that the Fellowship would follow him.

-----

_Three hours and we have finally seen the end of these blasted stairs._ Tori almost let out a cheer as she stepped off the last step and stood on a regal looking platform.

Two royal looking elves slowly came down the stairs to stand on the last step above the platform. Sango saw another male standing to one side, hidden in the shadows of the evening. The male elf stepped forward slightly as he looked over the Fellowship. "Sixteen set out from Rivendell but I only see fifteen here. Where is Gandalf? I would like to speak to him."

"He did not pass the borders of these lands." The she-elf's crystalline eyes fell onto Tori's face. "Gandalf fell into darkness and shadow."

"He was taken by both Shadow and Flame." Legolas heard Sango take a shuddering breath. "By a Balrog of Morgoth."

"He sacrificed himself so that the rest of us could make it here." Tori laid a hand on Gimli's hunched shoulders.

"We were led needlessly into the Mines." Boromir refused to look up from his boots until Sango slapped the back of his head.

"Gandalf was only doing what he thought was right." Sango glared at Boromir while she wiped the tears from her cheeks.

"Enough. The quest now stands on the edge of a knife. Stray but a little and it will fail to the ruin of all." Galadriel eyes drifted over the group. "Yet hope remains while Company is true. Do not let your hearts be troubled. Go now and rest for you are weary with sorrow and much toil." Her gaze stopped on Tori, Sesshomaru, Koga, Sango, Rin, Shippo, and Kirara. "If the strangers of our lands would stay, I wish to speak with you."

Aragorn led the rest of the Fellowship away from Galadriel and Celeborn as the shadowed male stepped from behind the guards. The man bowed to Galadriel and Celeborn before turning to look at the ones that were still standing before the Elves. Tori's mouth dropped open as Sango dropped Kirara to the floor of the platform. Sesshomaru crossed his arms as Rin and Shippo ran up the stairs and tackled the man to the ground. Koga laughed as he watched the children.

The man climbed to his feet with Rin on his shoulders and Shippo clinging to his leg. "Good evening."

Sango watched Kirara jump onto the man's head. "Miroku? Is that you?"

Tori looked up at Sesshomaru. "This explains so much."

Celeborn turned to his wife as Sango flung herself into her husband's arms. "I do not think that we are needed here."

"I agree. Lady Tori, if you will come with me I will take you to the Healers." Galadriel held a hand so that Tori knew that she meant no harm.

"How…?" Tori looked confused until Haldir took a step forward.

"I sent word that you were ill, my lady." Haldir bowed slightly as Tori nodded.

Tori trailed after the elegant Galadriel as Sesshomaru turned to look at the monk with his arms wrapped around the demon slayer. "How did you come to be here, Miroku?"

"Well, I believe that is a story for me to tell your entire group." Miroku started down the stairs that the rest of the Fellowship had descended. "Come. The Elves have prepared rooms for you and your group. I believe you would all like to bathe as well." Miroku ducked as Sesshomaru tried to hit the back of his head but he still wasn't fast enough to avoid his wife's Hiraikotsu.

-----

Tori drifted in Galadriel's wake as they made their way to the platform that held the healers. Galadriel turned and saw Tori looking out at the beauty of the trees around them. "Beautiful, is it not?"

"Yeah it is." Tori turned and looked up at the she-elf. "Why are you bringing me down here? Surely Haldir knows where the healers are?"

"Ladies must stick together and I believe that if a male were to bring you we might not find him." Galadriel smiled softly as Tori blushed.

"You heard about that, huh?"

"Yes. Orophin sent word that you tried to 'cut off his lower extremities and use them for bait'; I believe is what he said." Tori cringed slightly until Galadriel laid a slender hand on her shoulder. "Not to worry I said the same thing when I was with child."

Tori started to shake her head. "Sessho and I have only been back together for a …" She slapped her forehead. "My dream. I forgot about that what with being transported here and everything else."

"What was your dream?"

"I dreamt that Sessho and I had a little boy and a little girl. I thought it was sweet because they were both full demons instead of half."

Galadriel smiled brightly. "Come. The Healers wait." She led Tori into the room that contained several healers.

-----

Sesshomaru was laid out on his and Tori's bed when she finally came into the room with a brilliant smile spread across her face. "Did the healers tell you what illness befell you?"

Tori nodded slightly as she crawled across the bed toward her mate. "Oh they had something to tell me all right."

"And that would be…?" Sesshomaru watched as Tori crawled toward him like a dog stalking a frightened rabbit, not that he was frightened.

"I'm gonna have a baby." She stretched out on top of Sesshomaru and snuggled into his shoulder. "That means you guys have an extremely hormonal woman on your hands."

"When do we not have that?" Sesshomaru placed a kiss on the crown of Tori's head. "Come. The maids have drawn a bath for us."

Tori wrapped her arms around his neck and let him pick her up and carry her to the bath. The scent of the lavender and rose water surrounded them. "Are you sure you want to smell like flowers?" Tori kept her arms wrapped around Sesshomaru's neck as he placed her on the floor.

"With all the flowers you and Rin weave around me, I smell like them anyway." Sesshomaru started to undo Tori's tunic.

-----

Miroku and Sango stood on the balcony overlooking the beautiful gardens and watched as Rin and Shippo played among the flowers. Sango sighed softly as she watched the happy children playing tag with several of the elves. She turned in Miroku's arms and laid her head on his shoulder. "I'm glad we found you."

"So am I." Miroku placed a gentle kiss on the crown of her head. "Have you heard from Inu-Yasha and Kagome?"

"Not a word. I'm starting to worry." Sango saw Legolas and Aragorn setting up camp in the gardens. "Come on. I want to introduce you to our new allies."

Miroku rolled his eyes and looked longingly at the bed. _Oh well. I'll get her there soon. I hope._ He followed Sango out of the room.

-----

Aragorn looked around at small camp that he and Legolas had set up. He saw Rin and Shippo running through the gardens. Koga had turned down the use of one of the rooms in order to help protect Frodo and the Ring and was now returning with a rather large load of firewood. Aragorn caught Rin and swung her up onto his shoulders as Legolas carried a pitcher with him to get some water. Shippo ran after Legolas and jumped onto his shoulder as Sango and Miroku stepped into the gardens.

"I see that you're making yourselves at home." Miroku bowed slightly to his wife's friends.

Sango giggled slightly. "Are you jealous, Miroku? After all these guys have been traveling with me for the last few weeks."

"Me? Jealous? Never." Miroku failed to convince the man and the Elf standing with the children.

"Yeah, right." Tori and Sesshomaru stepped into the clearing as Miroku whipped around, his staff jingling happily. "Miroku, allow me to introduce Aragorn, son of Arathorn, Legolas of Mirkwood, Boromir of Gondor, Frodo Baggins, Samwise Gamgee, Peregrin Took, Meriadoc Brandybuck, and Gimli, son of Gloin. Guys, this is Sango's husband, Miroku."

Aragorn looked between Sango, Koga, and Tori. "Oh yes, the lecherous monk you've told us about."

"I'm not a lecherous monk." Miroku pretended to sulk slightly.

"And that's why Galadriel has had the maids complaining about wandering hands." Tori quickly ran behind Koga who had taken refuge behind Aragorn and Rin.

"Why are the two of you hiding?" Legolas looked confused until he saw Sango's right eye twitched and she started to look around for something to hit Miroku with. "I suggest we hide our weapons."

"That would be a good idea." Aragorn noticed Gimli had handed a rather large branch to Sango. "Gimli!"

"What? Doesn't she have the right to punish her husband?" Gimli was amused as Sango grabbed the branch and swung it at Miroku's head…repeatedly.

"I've…" The branch thumped against his head. "… warned… you …about …flirting…with…other…women." Sango glared down at her unconscious husband. "Men."

Aragorn and Legolas had flinched with each hit of the branch while Koga and Tori had taken the children over to Frodo and Sam. "How long will he be out?"

"Not long enough." Sesshomaru moved to stand with Tori. "I would suggest that we get comfortable. He will have a tale for us when he awakens." He looked down at the groaning monk. "And that might be sooner than I thought. It seems that Mistress Sango is losing her touch."

Sango's eyes narrowed as she turned slowly to look at Sesshomaru. "Say that when you're not near your wife."

Tori giggled slightly as she wrapped an arm around her husband's waist. "I'll take care of him later, Sango. He just needs to remember not to piss this pregnant woman off."

Miroku sat up and turned his head so fast you would think he had gotten whiplash. "Pregnant?! No way!"

"So you're awake?" Gimli frowned at Miroku. "Shame."

"Gimli." Tori sank to the ground before looking at Miroku who was trying to cuddle with his wife. "So…How did you get here?"

"Well…As you know I jumped into the portal after you." Miroku laid his staff across his legs.

_**Miroku grabbed at the branches as he fell until he was hanging a couple hundred feet above the ground. His staff fell past him landing on the ground with a clang. He hung there for moment to get his bearings and looked at the ground below. It was littered with several large boulders and there was a river flowing to his left. To his right were the ugliest creatures he had ever had the pleasure of seeing, Naraku excluded. They had pulled out bows and arrows and swords and were coming toward him and the river. He glanced back at the serene river and saw an army of tall, graceful creatures marching toward the ugly monsters. **_**Looks like I've got to **_**drop**_** into battle…again.**_** He let go of the branch and landed on the ground in a crouch. He scooped up his staff and climbed to his feet just as an arrow flew past his head. He reached into his robes and withdrew several sutras. He charged them as the monsters tried to rush him. The sutras were thrown as several of the graceful creatures' arrows embedded themselves into the monsters.**_

_**"Stand back, gentle sir. We will handle the Orcs." The leader of the creatures was leading his army on the charge across the river.**_

_**"Wait! I can help!" Miroku grabbed the beads wrapped around his hand. "Keep your men back and hold off those things as long as you can." The leader nodded as his army stopped behind the monk. **_**I hope this works.**_** He unwrapped his hand to reveal the swirling hole. "Wind Tunnel!"**_

_**The swirling vortex within his hand opened and started to draw the Orcs into it. Miroku tried to hold his ground but fell to one knee. The leader motioned to two of his warriors to help this man that had decided to risk his life. They grabbed his extended arm and braced it as the last of the Orcs were sucked screaming into the Wind Tunnel. Miroku managed to rewrap his hand before collapsing completely to the ground. He gave the warriors a soft smile moments before darkness overtook him.**_

_**Miroku heard soft singing close to him as he started to come around. A beautiful blonde woman was leaning over him. "I see that you have returned to the land of the living."**_

_**"This is the land of the living? I thought I was in heaven being tended to by the most beautiful of all the angels." Miroku tried to grasp the flitting hands that checked his body for wounds.**_

_**"My husband will be pleased to hear that you liken me to the Valar." The woman smiled as she turned to take a glass of water from another woman. She sank onto the edge of the bed and helped Miroku lift his head. "Drink this." She placed the glass against his lips.**_

_**Miroku gulped down the water as if he hadn't drunk anything in a week. He dropped back wearily as soon as the glass was empty. "How long was I out?"**_

_**"Three days. Haldir told me what you did to save our warriors." She bowed gracefully from her sitting position. "Thank you, gentle sir."**_

_**"Miroku. My name is Miroku."**_

_**"I am Lady Galadriel and you are in Lothlorien." She rose to her feet and looked down at him. "I will leave you to your rest now."**_

_**"Aye, my lady." Miroku's eyes drifted closed as Galadriel glided from the room.**_

"Since then, I've been on patrol with Haldir and telling him, Galadriel, and Lord Celeborn about our group and our quest for the jewel shards." Miroku looked around the group. "And I already know about the Ring and your current quest. I was present when the messenger from Rivendell arrived."

"Well, that does save us some explanations." Tori stretched slightly as she climbed to her feet. "But those will have to wait for morning. I'm exhausted."

Sesshomaru cocked his head to the right as he heard the soft singing. "What is that?"

"It is a lament for Gandalf." Legolas bowed his head slightly to hide the tears forming in his eyes.

Rin plopped down in Legolas's lap and gave him a big smile. "What are they saying?"

"I cannot tell you, Rin, for me the grief is still too great." Legolas smoothed Rin's bangs form her eyes as she hugged him tight.

"I bet they're not saying anything about his fireworks." Sam climbed to his feet. "The finest rockets ever seen; they burst in stars of blue and green, or after thunder golden showers came falling like a rain of flowers." Sam frowned slightly. "Oh that's no good. I can't do them justice."

"I happen to think that you did very well, Sam." Tori leaned down to kiss the top of Sam's curly blonde head. "Now, I'm off to bed."

Sesshomaru wrapped his arm around Tori's waist and led her back to their room. The rest of the group followed suit, making due with the grounds of the garden while Sango and Miroku left for his room.

-----

Tori had barely fallen asleep when something woke her up. A pale light drifted through the crack in the doorway that they had left for Rin if she needed them. She saw a figure gliding past the doorway as she reached for the robe tossed over one of the chairs by the bed. Tori quickly wrapped herself in the robe and started out the door. She followed after the glow and realized that she was following a person but who? Slowly the grand halls gave way to sloping stairs and the gardens. Tori barely glanced at the sleeping Fellowship as she hurried past them. She started down the last flight of stairs and saw Galadriel filling a pitcher with some water flowing from a nearby fountain.

"Will you look in the mirror?" Galadriel poured the water into a flat, silver basin.

"What will I see?" Tori slowly moved down the stairs toward the basin.

"What has passed, what is, and what could be." Galadriel watched Tori as she moved closer to the basin.

Tori took a deep breath and leaned over the basin. She gazed into the water and saw several quick flashes of her parents before the accident. She also saw when she was captured by the droids. _So that's how they did it._ Tori watched as she was thrown into the cell with Sesshomaru and the others. _Boy I wish James were here. Then I'd beat him to a bloody pulp._ She saw herself standing and addressing the Galactic Senate and the final battle on Naboo. She saw when they had returned to their times and Naraku's first reaction of her. Tori smirked as she had cut his hand off with her sword when he dared to touch her. She saw the swirling vortex that had sucked them here. She saw her friends fighting. She gasped when she saw Sango traveling through a barren wasteland with no one around her. She saw Inu-Yasha riding on a horse over the plains of a strange land. She saw Kagome staring out a window past a waterfall. A flaming red eye hanging over a tower slowly turned toward her. Tori gasped as a voice echoed in her head. _I see you._ Tori pulled back from the basin and crumbled to the ground in a panting heap.

"What the hell was that?" Tori looked up at Galadriel. "What did I see?"

"You saw your past, the present, and the future should the Fellowship fail." Galadriel stood tall and pale against the moonlight.

Tori glanced back at the basin and shuddered at the thought of the burning eye. "What do I need to do?"

"You must follow your heart."

"My heart tells me to let Frodo go but my head's saying that I need to stay with him." Tori closed her eyes for a moment before opening them to look at the stars in the sky. "I'll let Frodo go if that's what he wants." Tori climbed to her feet slowly before bowing to Galadriel. "Good night, my lady."

"Good night." Galadriel watched as Tori made her way back to her rooms.


	14. Chapter 13: The Great River

_**Author's Notes: I don't own anyone from Lord of the Rings. If I did Frodo wouldn't have gone on to the Grey Havens. Legolas would be teaching me how to use a bow and arrow. Aragorn and Arwen would have been married long before the Ring was found. I don't own any of the Inu-Yasha characters. If I did, Sesshomaru would be joining Legolas in teaching me how to use a sword. Enjoy.**_

_**Recently I got copies of the show and saw that the spelling of Sesshomaru is indeed spelled wrong. Forgive me but I was going by what I saw in the magnas. I did correct the spelling in all the chapters.**_

**

* * *

**

Chapter 13 

**The Great River**

Tori folded several new tunics before shoving them into the bag lying on the bed. She half-turned to look at Sesshomaru as he placed his clothes on the bed. "Can you believe that we've been here for two months? It only feels like a few days."

Sesshomaru wrapped his arms around Tori's thickening waistline and rubbed his hands over her protruding stomach. "Haldir told me that time passes differently here than outside Lorien."

"So I found out." Tori pressed her hand over Sesshomaru's. "Are you sure that you want me to travel with you and the Fellowship?"

"I see no reason for not to. I only ask that you do not fight if we have to go into battle." Sesshomaru leaned down to nuzzle her neck.

Tori sighed softly as a knock sounded on their door. "Come in."

Miroku peered around Legolas as he fearlessly pushed open the door. "Are you sure they're dressed?"

"We would have yelled at you to go away, Miroku, if we weren't." Tori pulled away from Sesshomaru and finished packing his tunics.

"Aragorn sent us to tell you that Lady Galadriel wished to see us before we left." Legolas bowed slightly to Sesshomaru and Tori. "And we must finish packing the boats."

Tori looked up from the bag. "Boat? We're going in a boat?" Her laugh seemed to be a bit shaky.

"Yes. On the River Anduin." Legolas looked at Tori and saw that she was shivering slightly. "You are not afraid of the water, are you?"

"Water, no. Boats, yes. Let's just say one bad experience with a canoe at camp has turned me off of boats." Tori jerked on the strings of the pack to close it. "Stupid boys and their pranks."

"What boy?" Sesshomaru's voice rumbled slightly through the growl.

"You don't know him." Tori waved her hand slightly.

"Tell me." Sesshomaru's claws dug into the palm of his hand.

"His name is Johnny Storm. He and I used to go to school and summer camp together. He knocked me out of the canoe when I wouldn't give him the oar." Tori rolled her eyes as she picked up the pack. "Can we just forget about it?"

"If I ever see him he's going to get a claw full from me." Sesshomaru took the pack from Tori and stomped out of the room.

"You'd think he didn't love me with the way he acts sometimes." Tori smiled as Legolas followed her out of the room.

-----

The Fellowship was gathered around five canoes and loading them with supplies for the journey down the river. Legolas opened one of the food packs and pulled out a small square of flat bread wrapped in some type of leaves. "Lembas. One small bite can sustain a man for an entire day." He slid it back into the pack before closing it and loading it into one of the boats.

Tori was seated well away from the rushing river where she had decided to keep Rin and Shippo busy while the rest of the Fellowship packed the boats.

Rin looked at her mother relaxing against one of the many trees of Lorien. "Reidou, are you scared of the water?"

"No, sweetie, I'm not afraid of the water." Tori nibbled on her bottom lip as Rin and Shippo waited for the rest of the answer. "I just don't like small boats."

"Why?" Shippo watched Tori fidget slightly.

"It's just something that happened years ago." Tori waved her hand slightly, effectively dismissing the subject.

Aragorn made his way over to the small group. "We are ready to leave."

Tori accepted his hand to pull her to her feet. "Thank you." She slowly followed Aragorn and the children to the boats.

Sesshomaru wrapped his arms around his mate and growled softly to calm her. He looked up as several elves stepped from the trees with Galadriel and Celeborn leading them.

"We have gifts for the Fellowship." Galadriel motioned toward the Fellowship.

An Elf stood before each member and draped a silky hood and cloak around their shoulders. They pulled the cloaks closed and used a brooch to secure it. The brooches were in the shape of green leaves with silvery veins.

Rin shifted the material in her hands and watched as it seemed to change colors with each movement. She looked up at Galadriel. "Are these magic cloaks?"

"No, my dear. They are special but magical. They will help you keep out of sight of unfriendly eyes whether you walk among the stones of the trees. They will also keep you as warm or cold as you need."

Rin nodded slightly as she looked down at the cloak covering her. "That's good I guess."

Celeborn's gaze drifted over the Fellowship and saw Koga fidgeting slightly with the cloak. "Never before have strangers been garbed in our clothing."

Shippo bounced on his feet as Galadriel moved closer to the Fellowship. "I have another gift for each of you." She reached for a small pack. "Rin, to you I give a pack with all that you should need for your journey. There is also a small brooch that you may touch if you are in danger and your friends will hear your need." Rin smiled as she took the leather pack. Lady Galadriel smiled as Rin pinned the brooch to her tunic under her cloak. She moved on to Shippo. "Shippo, to have fox fire is a great gift but I give you this powder. Throw it and it will cause whatever it touches to explode. Add your foxfire and watch the fireworks." Shippo took the small pouch of powder. "Lady Sango, to you I give a gift that will help you fight. This sword was crafted by our blacksmith for you. It is light weight but extremely strong." She handed the sheathed slender sword to Sango. "It may come in handy." Sango slid the sheath under her belt so that it rested next to her own sword. Galadriel turned to Koga. "My dear Lord Koga, to you I give these gauntlets. They will help to protect you from the swords of our world." She turned to Sesshomaru as Koga put the gauntlets onto his wrists over his furry ones. "Lord Sesshomaru, you carry two very powerful swords and with them you protect your mate quite well. I give you this." She handed him a set of curved daggers similar to what Legolas had slid under his quiver of arrows. "They will never break. I also give you these sheaths for your other swords. The sheaths will prevent any sword that you draw from them from breaking." Sesshomaru bowed slightly as accepted the gifts. "Lady Tori, you have a little one to protect as well as yourself. To you I give this sword. With the one that you received from the Elves in Rivendell, it will help you protect your family." She turned to Miroku as Tori slid the sheath alongside her other sword. "Miroku, you have lived here among the Elves for many months. You have learned much about our culture and way of life. To you I give a sacred item. This mirror is similar to the one that I look into from time to time. You have only to look into it and you will see images of your past, present, and future." Miroku bowed as he accepted the mirror. Galadriel moved slowly down the line of the Fellowship until she stood in front of Legolas. "Legolas, our kin from the north, to you I give a bow of the Galadrim. It will aid you on your journey." Legolas bowed as Galadriel turned to look at Gimli. "Gimli, son of Gloin, what gift would a Dwarf ask of an Elf?"

Gimli looked down at his feet. "None, milady."

"Surely there is something." Galadriel refused to move.

"There is nothing but to look upon your beauty one last time." Gimli flushed slightly as Galadriel laughed.

"To you I give this." She plucked three long strands from her hair. "Three hairs from my head. May you keep them safe."

Gimli blushed again as he took the hair. "When I return home I will find the finest crystal and encase them within it."

Galadriel smiled softly as she moved onto to Sam. "Master Gardener, to you I give a box of fertile dirt of Lorien. I also give you a fine and sturdy rope. You never know when you will need it." She moved on to Merry and Pippin. "Meriadoc and Peregrin, to you I give these daggers. They have already seen battle." She noticed the worried look on Pippin's face. "Not to worry, young Peregrin. Courage is nothing more than to do something that you are afraid to do." She drifted along the line to Boromir. "Boromir, Son of Gondor. To you I give this belt of golden leaves. I also wish you a safe journey back to Minas Tirith." She knelt down so that she could scoop Kirara into her arms. "Kirara, I know of your gifts. To you I give this golden collar. It is woven with many enchantments for your protection. It will also grow when you go back to your larger form." Kirara meowed once as Galadriel placed the collar around her neck. Kirara jumped back to the ground and Galadriel rose gracefully to her feet. "Aragorn, soon you must face your destiny. I give you this sheath for your sword. Like Lord Sesshomaru's, any sword drawn from it will not break." Her fingers drifted softly over the silver necklace hanging around his neck. "I have nothing greater to give you. You already have the greatest gift in her love." She turned to look at the last member of the Fellowship. "Frodo, I come to you last though you are not last in my thoughts. I give to you our greatest treasure, the star of Earendil. It will light a path in the darkness." She stepped back and looked over the entire Fellowship. "I wish you all a safe journey."

Celeborn moved close to Aragorn and Sesshomaru. "I must warn you. Saruman has bred Orcs with men creating something that has the cunning of man but the strength of the Orcs. They can move in the sunlight so you must be wary of these creatures." He handed each Sesshomaru and Aragorn another dagger. "Travel by the river and only by day."

Aragorn nodded as he and Sesshomaru slid the daggers among their other weapons. Legolas lifted Shippo into the small boat as Gimli scrambled over the side. Miroku helped Sango into the middle of their boat before handing Kirara to her and Koga settled in front of her. Frodo and Sam had already settled into the boat that Aragorn was to be guiding down the river. Tori nervously climbed into the boat as Sesshomaru placed Rin in front of her. Merry and Pippin were waiting patiently for Boromir to get settled so that they could leave. Aragorn settled himself behind Frodo and Sam and quickly pushed the boat away from the shore. The others followed and soon they were gliding through the water.

-----

Tori kept her eyes on the horizon as the sun slowly began to sink in the west. They had been traveling all day, only stopping to eat and even then not starting a fire for a hot meal. She saw Aragorn slowly start to turn toward the western bank. She sighed softly as Sesshomaru followed him. _Finally solid land._ Tori braced herself as the boat scraped along the bottom of the river. Sesshomaru jumped out and gently pulled the boat from the water. Tori climbed out as Rin scrambled over the side. Shippo hurried to join her as Sam quickly went about setting up camp. Legolas, Koga, and Gimli hurried into the surrounding forest to get some fire wood as Aragorn, Boromir, and Miroku quickly made sure that all the boats were secured on the shore.

Tori dropped to the ground beside Frodo. "How are you doing, Frodo?"

"I'm fine." Frodo didn't look at her. His eyes were trained on the river flowing just past the shore.

"Yeah right. You didn't eat anything when we last stopped." Tori noticed the way Frodo seemed to flinch. "The kids slept some in the boats as did everyone who wasn't rowing, except for you."

"She's right, Master Frodo. You don't sleep; you barely eat anything." Sam was stirring a pot over the small smokeless fire.

Tori nodded as Sesshomaru dropped to the ground beside her. "You must take care not to give in to the power of the ring, Frodo." Sesshomaru watched as Frodo turned to face him. "Kagome guards the Shikon Jewel but she has yet to give in the dark powers that can control it."

"Though it surprises me with how often she gets mad at Inu-Yasha." Shippo looked up from the fish he was cooking. "What?"

Tori smiled as she shook her head. "Let's just say that there are times when it would be easy to give in to the darkness but it would be better if you didn't."

Frodo just nodded as he took the plate of steaming food from Sam. "I'll try to eat something."

Tori turned back to her own plate as Sesshomaru took his from Sam. "That is all we ask."

Aragorn stood on the shore watching the waters flowing past. _I am not a leader and yet here I am leading the Fellowship to Mordor. I wish Gandalf were here. He'd know what to do._

Legolas was hidden among the branches of one of the trees surrounding the camp. His elven eyes skimmed across the horizon looking for dangers that were near. Gimli and Koga were playing a card game with Rin, which she was winning. Shippo was running after Merry and Pippin while Sam and Sango cleaned up around the fire. Boromir was leaning against a tree as Miroku watched him carefully. He had already noticed that Boromir had taken to watching Frodo more closely than any of the others. One by one the Fellowship, all but Boromir since he had the first watch, wound down and curled among their blankets beside the slowly dying fire.

Boromir looked around the camp to make sure that everyone was asleep before hiding behind an overly large boulder. His eyes roamed along the river until he caught sight of a log floating past the camp. Two large eyes gazed at him from the log.

"It is Gollum." Aragorn watched Boromir jump slightly. "I had hoped that we would lose him on the river but he is too crafty a sailor."

"Perhaps we should take the Ring south to Minas Tirith. It would be protected there."

"I would not take the Ring within a thousand leagues of your city. I have seen what that Ring has done to minds of men and I do not want that to happen in Minas Tirith." Aragorn turned on his heel and made his way back to the fire.

Neither of the men had noticed that Frodo and Tori had heard the entire conversation.

-----

Tori was getting bored looking at the trees passing. Even playing 'I Spy' with Rin had gotten boring. Rin had gotten tired of reading her books that she had packed. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Aragorn pointing to two tall pillars standing on either side of the river.

"Behold the Agronath, the Pillars of the Kings." Aragorn gave Frodo a small smile. "Long have I wished to look upon my kin."

"I guess coming this way was a good thing." Tori leaned back into Sesshomaru as he paddled the little boat along the currents.

"They look like they took a long time to make." Rin looked back at her 'parents' and smiled.

"Perhaps I should do something like that in the Western Lands so that my children's children can look upon my face." Sesshomaru barely grunted as Tori elbowed him slightly.

"You know that you'll be able to see them for a long time so it would be pointless to create those pillars." Tori relaxed slightly as she watched the boats slip between the pillars. "I hope we stop soon."

"Are you well, my lady?" Legolas had maneuvered their boat a little closer to Tori and Sesshomaru.

"Just the rocking is making my stomach act up. Once I get on land I should be fine." Tori gave Legolas and Gimli a smile before tossing a book to Shippo. "Something for you to read aloud to Legolas and Gimli, Shippo."

"The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe?" Shippo looked up from the book in his hands.

"Kagome got it for me the last time she went home. I think you'll enjoy it." Tori watched as Shippo quickly opened the book and started to read.

"Once we are a league down river we'll head to the western shore." Aragorn paddled his boat past the small group with Miroku right behind him.

"Then we'll have to travel on foot to Mordor." Sango's groan could be heard over the gentle sounds of the waters.

Tori closed her eyes and listened to the sounds of the birds in the trees. She opened her eyes slightly when she felt the boat turn toward shore for the last time. Her crystal blue eyes widened when she saw the waterfall and she began to pray that they weren't going over it. The bottom of the boat scraped along the ground as the current swept them ashore. Tori scrambled over the side and splashed through the shallow water toward solid land. Rin giggled as she splashed her hands in the water. Slowly everyone unloaded the boats. Sesshomaru and Koga saw several logs lying along the bank so they ripped them apart for firewood. Merry started the fire while Sango sent Rin and Shippo for water. Tori set out the makings for a quick lunch. Thankfully they had yet eat any of the _lembas_ or any of the ramen that they still had left so she pulled out several packets of the ramen and set it to one side. The water was in two pots over the fire.

"Perhaps we should cross the river while it is still light." Miroku glanced at Tori before getting hit by Sango.

"Take rest, Miroku. We will need the cover of night to cross." Aragorn moved toward the edge of the clearing.

"What do we have to do when get over there?" Tori looked up from the pots of water.

"I'll tell you what we'll do." Gimli continued to sharpen his axe. "First we'll have to find our way through the endless maze of Emyn Muil. Then we go through an impassable marsh known as the Dead Marshes. Then we have get through the Black Gate and find our way across the barren lands of Mordor to Mount Doom."

Aragorn barely turned to Gimli. "Take rest, Master Dwarf."

"Take rest? Take rest?" Gimli glared at the ranger. "Pay no heed to that little ones. Take Rest indeed."

Legolas stood at the edge of the clearing watching the forest. "I say we cross now."

"No. Orcs hunt on the eastern shore. We will wait until nightfall and then make our way east." Aragorn stood a few steps behind Legolas.

Merry and Koga came back from gathering more firewood from the ripped apart logs. Merry dropped his load far enough from the fire that they wouldn't catch on fire and looked around. "Where's Frodo?"

Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked around the camp. Tori noticed that one other person was missing as well. "Never mind Frodo. Where's Boromir?"

Silence echoed through the clearing.


	15. Chapter 14: Battle on the Anduin

_**Author's Notes: I don't own anyone from Lord of the Rings. If I did Frodo wouldn't have gone on to the Grey Havens. Legolas would be teaching me how to use a bow and arrow. Aragorn and Arwen would have been married long before the Ring was found. I don't own any of the Inu-Yasha characters. If I did, Sesshomaru would be joining Legolas in teaching me how to use a sword. Enjoy.**_

_**If you're reading this I'll tell you like I tell everyone else. This story is of my design, and me drinking one too many wine coolers, and the question "What would happen if…?". If you don't like whom I've hooked up or how I spell some of the names, don't review about it. I don't follow the stuff that others write. I like to stick to the books. If I find that they are spelled a different way then I will go ahead and change it. But until that day arrives, take your purist thinking, wad it in a tight little ball, and stuff where the sun don't shine. If you don't like my tales then you don't have to read it. Also when I finally get more than one chapter up, please don't just read the first chapter and then tell me that it sucks. How the bloody hell would you know anyhow? Are you Stan Lee, J.K. Rowling, Rumiko Takahaski, or George Lucas? I didn't think so. If you are the above people, my apologies for using your ideas and thank you for not suing me.**_

_**Sorry it took me so long to get his out. This is one of my least favorite scenes of the entire movie of The Fellowship of the Ring but I think I did a hell of a job. But that is not the only reason it's taken me a while. Real life is slowly taking over. No matter how often I try to allot a section of time to writing it never seems to happen and next year it may even get worse as I am pulling my child out of private school and home schooling her myself. So please understand that this story is not being dropped or put on hold. I just have a lot in my life with driving three elderly folks around and trying to keep all the appointments straight in my head. Sometimes I think I'm just losing it. I need a vacation, folks, and since it doesn't seem like I'm going to get one anytime soon, I'll just take a trip in my mind. See ya!**_

**Chapter 14**

**Battle on the Anduin**

Merry and Koga came back from gathering more firewood from the ripped apart logs. Merry dropped his load far enough from the fire that they wouldn't catch on fire and looked around. "Where's Frodo?"

Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked around the camp. Tori noticed that one other person was missing as well. "Never mind Frodo. Where's Boromir?"

Silence echoed through the clearing. Tori, Sango, and Aragorn looked at each other before running into the surrounding forest. Tori feet slipped on the leaves as she followed Aragorn and Sango up a hill but there was no sign of Frodo or Boromir.

--

Frodo had left the camp and was looking at the various broken statues and ruins scattered among the hills. He heard a twig break behind him and whipped around with his hand on the handle of Sting. Boromir was bending over to pick up a log to add to the rest in his arms.

"None of us should be alone, least of all you, Frodo." Boromir put the wood in a small pile next to his feet. "Have you decided what you will do now?"

"What do you mean?" Frodo tried to look around for a way to escape.

"Will we cross the river and head to Mordor or will we continue south toward Minas Tirith?" Boromir didn't catch Frodo's frantic look. "If we go to Minas Tirith, the Ring would be well protected."

"Your words would be wisdom if not for the warning in my heart." Frodo was starting to panic.

"What do you mean by that? Do you not trust the people of Gondor?"

"I do not deny your trust or that of the people of Gondor but I must destroy the Ring."

"Why not take it to Minas Tirith and then decide on what to do?"

"Because there is not hope as long as the Ring survives. Sauron will take over the lands one by one." Frodo started to inch his way from near Boromir.

"Why was it given to you? A mere Hobbit knows nothing of the world and yet they entrust you with such a task." Boromir started to pace. "If I had the Ring, I would push back the hordes of Mordor. Men would flock to my banner. I would be made King!" He whipped around to face Frodo. "Give me the Ring!"

Frodo spun around and started to run. As he ran he slipped the Ring onto his finger and disappeared. Boromir stumbled when it happened. Frodo pushed past Boromir, making Boromir fall to the leaf strewn ground.

"Curse you! Curse all Halflings!" Boromir slammed his fists into the ground before looking up to try and find Frodo. "Frodo! Frodo!"

Boromir's voice echoed behind him as he ran up a set of ruined steps. Suddenly a giant burning eye was before him. He ripped the ring off his finger and fell off the small floor that he had been on. Aragorn, Sango, and Tori crashed through the bushes and saw Frodo on the ground.

"Frodo, where is the Ring?" Aragorn stomped toward the little Hobbit.

"Why so that you can take it as well?" Frodo scrambled back along the ground away from Aragorn, Sango, and Tori.

Tori laid her slender hand on Aragorn's shoulder. "What happened, Frodo? Where's Boromir?"

"The Ring has taken Boromir. He tried to steal the Ring from me." Frodo's eyes filled with tears as he held out the Ring to Aragorn, Sango, and Tori. "Would you take it? Would you destroy it?"

Tori looked frightened as Aragorn knelt before Frodo and took his hand. He folded Frodo's fingers around the Ring. "I would have followed you to the fires of Mount Doom."

"Frodo, any of us would have followed you but you know what must be done." Tori pulled Frodo toward her and hugged him tight. "Keep safe, my friend."

Several trees fell, causing Aragorn and Tori to pull out their swords and Sango to grab her Hiraikotsu. "Run, Frodo!" Aragorn saw Frodo still standing behind them. "Run, Frodo!"

Frodo nodded before turning and running into the forest. Aragorn pushed Tori behind him and Sango as the ugliest creatures burst through the trees opposite of where Frodo had run.

Tori suppressed a shudder. "Disgusting! It looks like someone tried to clone Naraku and failed miserably!"

"Take the blonde woman alive! Kill the Ranger!" The leader of the Uruks started to swing his sword. "Find the Halflings!"

"Tori, go and warn the others!" Aragorn started to lop off various appendages of the Uruks. "Sango, go and protect Frodo!"

Tori sheathed her sword and took off toward the camp. Along the way she heard battles happening deeper within the forest. Sango barely looked at the Uruks as she hurried after Frodo.

--

Sango ran into the forest looking for Frodo when she heard voices talking nearby. She slipped behind a tree and listened to the conversation.

"Remember not to harm the Halflings, the woman with blonde hair, the kids, the cat, or the man with the black hair." One of Orcs looked around the clearing that held him and some of Uruks. "Saruman wants them alive."

_They don't know about me, Miroku, or Sesshomaru. The three of us might be able to take them by surprise._ Sango slipped silently away from the clearing and ran back toward camp.

--

Tori dipped and ducked between the trees trying to avoid the Uruks. She stumbled once as she skidded into a clearing. Legolas and Gimli were battling another group of Uruks. Suddenly Miroku appeared from between the trees. She ran into the clearing, drawing her sword along the way.

"Legolas! Gimli! Grab a hold of Tori and anchor yourselves!" Miroku's left hand was holding the prayer beads that were wrapped around right hand.

Legolas grabbed Tori around her thickening waist and grabbed a low hanging branch. Gimli sliced through another Uruks before grabbing a tree. Tori recognized the swirling cortex that was Miroku's Wind Tunnel. Until this time no one in Middle Earth had seen it so no one had come up with a defense for it. That meant the Uruks were getting sucked in quickly. Of course being the ugly and unintelligent creatures that they were, that was a vast improvement. Once the last of the Uruks had been taken care of, Miroku wrapped the beads back around his hand before falling to his knees. Tori pulled herself out of Legolas's arm and hurried to his side.

"Are you okay, Miroku?" Tori laid his right hand in her lap before shoving the sleeve of his tunic up to see if there had been any poison sucked in along with the Uruks.

"Just too many ugly beings at once, my lady." Miroku gave her a slight smile.

"Good." Tori smacked him across the back of his head. "Why did you have to do something so absolutely brainless? Don't you know they could have killed you?"

"I was thinking that Lord Sesshomaru would hurt me if anything happened to you." Miroku smiled as Tori rolled her eyes.

"I believe now is not the time for this banter." Legolas's arrow flew above their heads to embed itself into the neck of an Uruk.

Tori nodded, drawing her sword as she scrambled to her feet. "We've got to get some help to Aragorn. He's that way." She pointed back the way that she had come.

They began to fight their way through the Uruks toward their friend.

--

Sesshomaru growled as the ugly Uruks tried to cut him down. His poison whip cut through the Uruks as Koga jumped through the air cutting down several Uruks. He hurried through the forest to Sesshomaru's side.

"Where are the others?" Koga dodged an attack for an Uruk.

"I believe they are fighting." Sesshomaru sliced through one of the Uruks trying to sneak up on him.

"Let's go and help." Koga followed Sesshomaru through the forest while battling the Uruks.

--

Shippo was huddled behind a tree with Merry and Pippin while Rin was up in the branches where Sesshomaru had put her. Frodo slipped sown the hill and hid behind a tree across from them.

"Frodo, over here." Pippin waved his cousin toward them.

Several Uruks came over the hill looking for Frodo. Frodo looked over at Merry, Pippin, and Shippo and shook his head.

"What's going on?" Shippo looked at Merry.

Merry looked at Frodo and saw the determination in his eyes. "He's leaving us. He's going on alone."

"No way." Shippo hopped out from behind the tree. "He's not going without me."

Merry and Pippin jumped out to grab Shippo as the Uruks caught sight of them. Merry turned to look at Frodo. "Go, Frodo." Merry withdrew his sword and ran toward the Uruks. Pippin and Shippo followed his example as Rin scrambled down from the tree and watched Frodo hurry back toward the camp.

Rin slipped through the trees after Frodo while Merry, Pippin, and Shippo fought with the Uruks filling the clearing.

--

Sam ran through the woods looking for Frodo. Rin ducked under several branches as she ran past Sam. Sam managed to grab Rin's arm before she got out of his reach. "Where are you going, Rin?"

"I'm going after Frodo. I think he's going to go on by himself." Rin pulled her arm from Sam's grasp and took off toward the trees again.

"He's not going without me." Sam ran after Rin.

--

Frodo stood on the bank of the river and looked at the Ring that sat in his hand. _It's now or never. I need to go on alone._ Frodo put the Elven chain around his neck before pushing one of the boats into the rushing water. He scrambled over the side of the boat and grabbed the paddle. He started to paddle to the eastern shore as Sam and Rin burst through the trees from the right of camp and Sango pushed aside brambles from the left.

"Frodo!" Sam waded out into the river. "I'm coming with you, Frodo!"

Rin splashed through the water after Sam. "So am I!"

Frodo turned to look at his friend. "Go back, Sam! I have to do this alone!"

"I'm coming with you! I promised Gandalf!" Sam struggled slightly as he tried to swim to Frodo.

"But you can't swim." Frodo watched Rin strike out with a strong stroke as Sango dove into the water.

Sam started to flounder but Sango reached him and pulled him along with her toward the boat. Frodo hauled Sam over the side as Sango half lifted him. She grabbed the side of the boat and pulled herself over the side as Frodo and Sam pulled Rin into the boat.

"You're not doing this on your own." Sango saw Kirara sitting on the bank with several bags in her mouth. "Meet us on the other side, Kirara!" Kirara took off into the air and landed on the opposite shore. She put down the bags and tilted her head slightly before taking off again. She turned and headed toward the forest where the clanging of swords could be heard. "I guess she's going to stay with the others."

"Maybe it's better. I don't think we need her causing any distractions for us." Frodo picked up the paddle he had dropped and started to paddle once again.

--

Boromir ran down the hill brandishing his sword. The Uruks turned and looked at the man that dared prevent them from taking their prisoners. Boromir's sword slid through the gullet of one of the Uruks as he passed it. He lifted the Horn of Gondor to his lips and blew on it three times calling for help. One by one the Uruks fell, until a huge black arrow flew through the air and slammed into Boromir's shoulder. Koga bounded from the trees and sliced through the Uruks as Boromir climbed to his feet. Together they sliced through the Uruks until one of them slammed the hilt of its sword against the back of Koga's head. Koga went down like a ton of bricks. Boromir knelt long enough to grab Koga's sword and stood over him to protect him as well as Merry, Pippin, and Shippo.

"You're… not …taking… them!" Boromir fought through the Uruks slowly. Suddenly another black arrow slammed into his shoulder just below the first one. He fell to his knees for a moment before climbing to his feet and returning to the fight.

The leader of the Uruks was getting angry. _Why won't that man just die already?_ He notched another arrow into his bow and pulled back on the string. He smirked as the arrow embedded itself into Boromir's stomach.

Boromir fell to the ground one last time. Merry, Pippin, and Shippo shouted in rage and attacked the Uruks. The Uruks dodged the attacks and scooped the three small bodies into their arms and ran into the forest. Two of the Uruks carried Koga after them. Boromir watched in horror as those that he had been protecting were carried off. The Uruk that had been firing the arrows at Boromir drew his sword and slowly made his way down the hill. Boromir watched and knew that his death was on the horizon. Suddenly Sesshomaru and Aragorn crashed through opposite sides of the clearing, effectively distracting the Uruk.

Aragorn and Sesshomaru attacked the Uruk as several more flooded the clearing. Slowly they made their way through the Uruks until only the leader was standing.

"You'll never destroy me." Lurtz's sword swung at his side as Aragorn and Sesshomaru circled him. Lurtz watched the two. One he knew. He was the Ranger that helped keep the Hobbits from the Nazgul. The other was of no consequence to him whether he lived or died.

Sesshomaru pulled Tokijin from its new sheath as Aragorn held his sword at the ready. "You may have dealt with men and elves but you have yet to deal with an Alpha who has yet to find the rest of his packmates."

Aragorn raised his sword and rushed toward Lurtz with Sesshomaru right behind him. Lurtz blocked both swords and grabbed Aragorn around the neck. Sesshomaru's fist flew through the air and broke Lurtz's nose causing him to drop Aragorn. Aragorn scooped up his sword and attacked Lurtz. Together he and Sesshomaru slowly pushed the Uruk away from Boromir. Together they were a force to be feared. Lurtz however wasn't the smartest of the bunch.

He shoved Aragorn back toward a tree before scooping up a shield and flinging it at the Ranger. The shield pinned Aragorn to the tree and Sesshomaru lunged for Lurtz as Aragorn tired to push the shield off of his neck. Lurtz managed to hold his own against Sesshomaru before tossing him into a tree. The tree cracked in half as Sesshomaru slammed into it. He shook his head slightly and climbed to his feet. Aragorn had managed to loosen the shield just enough to slip out from behind it before Lurtz destroyed it. He swung his sword at the Uruk, slicing off his arm. Lurtz screamed in agony and anger as Sesshomaru raked his poisonous claws across his shoulder. Aragorn drew his dagger and slammed it into Lurtz's leg before staggering away. Lurtz screamed as he pulled the dagger from his leg. He looked at the blood dripping from the blade before licking it off. He flung the dagger in Aragorn's direction but Aragorn managed to deflect it with his sword. Lurtz stomped over the fallen leaves toward Aragorn as Sesshomaru raked his claws across Lurtz's back, crossing over the first set of claw marks. Lurtz ignored Sesshomaru as he stood over Aragorn. Aragorn shoved his sword into Lurtz's stomach and Lurtz simply pulled him closer and growled in his face. Aragorn withdrew the sword quickly and sliced Lurtz's head from his shoulders.

He looked around the clearing and saw that the rest of the Uruks were either dead or had fled. His blue eyes landed on Boromir. His sword clattered to the ground as his ran across the clearing. "Boromir." Aragorn knelt next to Boromir.

"They took the little ones." Boromir's voice was so soft that Tori had to strain to hear him. "As well as Koga and Shippo."

"Merry and Pippin?" She dropped to her knees on the other side of Boromir and gripped his hand. She looked up at Sesshomaru. "Kagome's gonna kill me."

Boromir grasped Aragorn's hand tightly. "Farewell, Aragorn. Go to Minas Tirith and save my people. I have failed."

Tori gripped his other hand. "You haven't failed Boromir. You helped to keep us safe. The Uruks are the ones that are to blame for your pain not you."

"She is right. Minas Tirith will not fall. I will not allow it." Aragorn felt the slight squeeze of his hand as Boromir took his last breath. Tori gasped as Aragorn picked up Boromir's sword and laid it across his chest. "So ends the life of Boromir, Son of Denethor."

Tori closed her eyes as tears streamed down her face. "First Gandalf and now Boromir."

Aragorn climbed to his feet as Sesshomaru pulled Tori to hers. "Let us take him back to the river and give him a proper burial."

Legolas and Sesshomaru picked up Boromir's body, making the sword clatter to the ground. Tori scooped up the sword and followed just behind Legolas. Gimli walked behind her as Aragorn and Miroku brought up the rear. Legolas and Sesshomaru laid Boromir on his cloak as Tori ran to the river and scooped some water into one of the battered pots they had. Miroku knelt beside the body and began to offer prayers to the gods as Tori cleaned the blood from the body. Legolas and Gimli emptied one of the boats of everything and quickly made it ready to lay Boromir's body in it. Tori ran her fingers over the fine tooling of the golden leaf belt before clasping it around his waist. Aragorn carefully cleaned Boromir's sword of all the Uruk blood before laying it next to the boat. Miroku said one final prayer before letting Sesshomaru and Legolas lift the body to lay it in the boat. Aragorn waited for Tori to straighten the cloak wrapped around Boromir's shoulders before picking up his sword and laying it on his chest. Tori folded Boromir's hands around the hilt of the sword as Gimli placed Boromir's shield over the blade of the sword. Kirara ran into the clearing with several white flowers in her mouth and jumped onto the railing around the boat. She dropped the flowers on Boromir's hands before jumping back to the ground. The men gently pushed the boat into the rushing waters of the river and watched as it was taken over the Falls of Rauros.

"Now what do we do?" Miroku looked around the group. "We can't follow Frodo."

"If we hurry we can catch up to him." Legolas started to push one of the other boats into the water.

"No! Frodo must do this on his own." Tori took a deep breath as she scooped up Kirara.

"So the Fellowship is broken." Gimli leaned heavily on his axe. "We've come all this way and failed. Are we going to leave the others to their fate?"

"No, we haven't failed. As long as we stay true to our mission and each other we will succeed." Sesshomaru looked around the group. "We will save them soon."

"Besides Frodo is not alone. Sam, Sango, and Rin are with him. They will protect him." Aragorn picked up his dagger that was now cleaned of Uruk blood and slid it into place. "He's right. We must save the others."

Sesshomaru looked across the river to the eastern shore. "They will make it. We must have faith."

Aragorn looked around the group and smiled when Kirara jumped from Tori's arms and transformed in a flash of fire. "Let's hunt some Orc!"

_**Author's Note: I decided that I'm going to make this into three parts. The next will be called Realms of Middle Earth Part II. This way I can keep the movies and books straight in my head and only have to carry one notebook around with it. Remember just because I haven't updated doesn't mean that I'm dead. It just means that life has gotten in the way.**_


	16. Review Thank yous

Thank you for your wonderful reviews.

**R-Cleberg** – Nope. I haven't fallen off the face of the earth. At least not yet.

**Makinotsuki** – Thank you for your wonderful reviews. I also thank you for your words of encouragement during a time of my life when I need it the most.

**Black Wolf-Dog** – Thank you for waiting so patiently for each and every update. I'll be sure to let you know when the next story is started.

**Blue Mouse** – I hope that you're enjoying this story as much as I have enjoyed writing it. Also you might want to check out United in Battle, which is another one of mine. It also has the Inu gang but with a bit more of a twist.

**not magical me** – You're right. Most of the time it can and does happen.

**istar** – That's the thing with fanfiction you never know what's going to happen.

**stehphanie** – Yep definitely got one or two Inuyasha/Star Wars crossovers out there.

**Darkcelestial20** – Glad you liked it.

**TeZukAb0ch0u** – I'm glad you liked it. Yeah Arwen is going to have some support when Aragorn tells her that they can't be together. Boy does he piss Tori off.

Below is the one flame that I got. I can tell you that this person is a purist and I don't like purists. I went to the author's page and saw that Saber Apricot only has two stories, neither of which are finished. Let me just say this person is the reason I put that little bit in my opening author's notes. I really don't like people that read one chapter and tell you that you are not any good. At least I take my time to point out to people that this is called FANFICTION!! We put our own twists and turns into some of this. Now that I'm done with my little rant, I think I'll let Inu-Yasha and Sesshomaru use this flame to start the fire that we're going to roast marshmallows over. Who wants chocolate with nuts and who wants plain? Cinnamon graham crackers or Honey?

_"Why are Japanese monsters eating ramen? Demons wouldn't be eating ramen. And slightly off topic: If you want ramen in Japan, you buy instant ramen or you go out and eat it at a ramen shop. It's not just noodles and broth either. Google 'kyushu ramen' and look at the images you get._

_It's probably 'Sesshoumaru', not Sessho-Maru. It's one (weird) name, so it doesn't need to be split up like that._

_'reidou'? Do you even know what that means? A kid wouldn't call someone that._

_'neko-akuma' and 'kistune-akuma'? That's totally wrong. 'Bakeneko' is probably what 'Kirara' is supposed to be. 'Akuma' is a devil, demon, Satan, etc. You must've just plugged 'demon' into some online English/Japanese dictionary. 'Youkai' would be better to use... Especially since you used 'hanyou' (ie half youkai) earlier._

_chapter 2  
A kid wouldn't refer to her father as 'otokooya' to someone close to her._

_Don't just go by online Japanese/English dictionaries or translators if you don't know Japanese._

_This is an Inuyasha crossover. Inuyasha wouldn't fit very well into LOTR, because demons in Middle-earth of fell beings. Gandalf and other canon wouldn't socialize with demons, they'd want them dead. It just doesn't work._

_Too much is happening in each chapter. Canon characters are out of character and everyone is too accepting of your OC and Inuyasha characters._

_This also belongs in the Anime X-overs or Book X-overs section under Misc."_


End file.
